Sins Of Youth
by Bill K
Summary: Are the Asteroid Senshi reverting back to their Dead Moon Circus ways? And why can't Princess Usa transform into Sailor Moon? Did she burn out her crystal in a reckless indiscretion of youth?
1. Obsession

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 1: "Obsession"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Moon and all related characters are (c)2008 by Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha and Toei Animation and are used without permission, but with respect. Story is (c)2008 by Bill K.

* * *

There was a small section in the west side of the city of Crystal Tokyo. Over the years it had been many things. Once, a thousand years ago, it had contained a home. But residents wouldn't stay for very long in the home. Some complained about the home being haunted by a ghost, though those stories were usually dismissed. It had been an older home and the noises were often attributed to creaking wood or settling foundations.

After the great disaster of 2013, the house had been destroyed, caved in by the weight of ice on its roof. A new dwelling had been built on the site during what has come to be known in human history as Queen Serenity's month of miracles. The dwelling was sterile and oval, but it was functional and sturdy. However, very quickly the same stories began to rise as had before in the previous structure. At one point Rei Hino, personal priest to the Royal Family, came to the site. Though she could sense some spiritual activity in the area, she could find no trace of an active spirit and declared the stories untrue. But the stories persisted. Soon no one would live in the dwelling. It sat empty for years, dark and foreboding amid the recovering neighborhood.

Finally, when the property began to decay, King Endymion stepped in. He had the dwelling demolished and, at Queen Serenity's suggestion, had a small park erected in the lot. The small patch of green in the midst of the urban setting existed unchanged into the twenty-fifth century.

During the Times of Digression, brought on by the rise of the Death Phantom, many of the dwellings around the small park were destroyed during the burning, looting and rioting that occurred when much of Crystal Tokyo sunk into chaos. The area was abandoned by those who survived the chaos and once again the government had to step in. This time Endymion encouraged retail development and an entertainment district eventually grew in the fallow soil. Lost amid the new growth and the passing centuries were the old stories of a spirit who haunted the park on certain nights.

* * *

The Princess Usagi sat in the middle of her room, in the middle of her bed. She was dressed in baggy crystalline fiber weave warm up pants and a dura-mesh sports bra, and her pink crystal hovered a foot in front of her. As Diana watched her curiously, the teen sat as still as death. Her eyes were closed and, save for the slow rise and fall of her chest, there was no movement.

"My Lady?" Diana inquired.

There was no response.

"My Lady, can you hear me?" the gray cat inquired again.

When there was again no response, Diana moved forward and sprang up on the bed. Propping herself up on Usa's knee as the girl sat cross-legged, Diana stared up at her.

"My Lady, are you all right?" Diana asked.

A scowl sprouted on the teen's face, followed by her chest heaving out her frustration.

"What is it, Diana?" huffed the girl.

"What on Earth are you doing?" the cat asked with mounting exasperation. "For a moment, I thought you were possessed."

"I'm trying to contact Helios!" the Princess fussed.

"I might have known," Diana sighed.

"Well, Mom always summons her crystal when she needs that extra power boost," rationalized the teen. "And Elysian is too far away for me to thought-cast to him in normal times. I just figured this way I might be able to communicate with him."

"Didn't you just say this morning that you had a wonderful dream and he was in it?"

"THAT WAS TWELVE WHOLE HOURS AGO!"

Diana responded with a cynical look.

"Oh, you just don't understand!" Usa cried and flopped back dramatically on her bed, her head sinking deep into her pillows.

"I understand, My Lady," Diana replied patiently. "You love him. You wish to be with him. But part of growing up is coming to the realization that you can't have everything you want . . ."

". . . the moment I want it, I know, I know!" Usa interjected. Her expression melted into forlorn sadness. "I just want to talk to him."

"And if this scheme of yours worked, how long would you talk to him?" Diana asked.

"I don't know. What's time to someone in love?"

"And Helios has nothing else to do besides talk to you for hours on end every day?" Diana pointed out. "Because we both know how long and how often you'd be contacting him. To the detriment of your studies, I might add."

"You make me sound so irresponsible," Usa replied.

"Yes. Funny that."

Usa remained silent.

"My Lady?"

"How do I make you all understand?" Usa responded with exasperation. "What I have now isn't enough! I don't care if it makes me sound greedy or childish or irresponsible! I need Helios! Nothing else matters!"

"Not even your career as Sailor Moon?" Diana inquired. "It was quite important to you a short time ago." Usa heaved another sigh. "I believe you're very close to being late for your senshi training class."

With obvious resignation, Usa rose to a sitting position again. With a thought, she brought her pink crystal back into her chest. The girl's shoulders slumped.

"Responsibility sucks," she scowled. Diana grinned at her.

"Yes, that's the precise attitude a future monarch should take," the cat needled.

"One of these days I'm going to run away to Elysian and elope," moped the Princess as she climbed out of bed and got dressed. "Without you."

"If that should happen," Diana countered, "I claim your room."

* * *

Contained in the palace was a huge gymnasium that was often used for senshi training sessions. There the elder senshi would conduct exercises with the younger Sailor Moon and her senshi, trying to impart some of their experience onto the girls. Often only one of the elders was available for the sessions. Today, though, they had the benefit of three. As Sailor Moon walked into the room, she could see Sailor Mars working with Sailor Pallas, Sailor Venus engaged with Sailor Vesta, and Sailor Jupiter taking on both Sailor Ceres and Sailor Juno.

"Think of yourself holding an invisible rope," Mars instructed Pallas. Pallas nodded, her brow furrowed. "Now picture the rope winding around something. Can you see it in your mind?"

"Pallas thinks so, Miss Mars Ma'am," Pallas replied tentatively.

"Well, now think of the rope pulling tight around whatever you wrapped it around," Mars instructed.

Suddenly Sailor Venus went rigid, her arms pulled to her side and her legs pulled together by an unseen force. With a yelp of surprise jerked from her, Venus lost her balance and topped onto the floor.

"Hey, what happened?" Venus howled. Pallas began laughing with child-like abandon.

"What did you do that for, Stupid?" Vesta chuckled. "I had her right where I wanted her!"

"In your dreams!" snapped Venus.

"It's called 'guarding your flank', Venus," Mars said, not bothering to conceal her amusement. With that, the invisible tethers around Venus faded away and she regained control of her body. Mars turned to Sailor Pallas with gentle remonstration. "Pallas, you let your concentration slip."

"Sorry," Pallas said between giggles.

"That's why I have teammates, traitor," Venus huffed. She sprang up suddenly, causing Vesta to snap back to a defensive stance. "Come on! Stop giggling and transform into something you think can get me!"

Sailor Moon wandered up to Mars. Mars instantly sensed the girl's mood, but kept it to herself.

"Where's Hotaru, Aunt Rei?" the princess asked.

"With Ami. They're still working on getting her past her phobia. I figured she needed that more than she needed this." Her hand went to Sailor Moon's shoulder. "Don't worry so much. Ami knows what she's doing. And Hotaru's a pretty sensible girl. They'll get through this."

Mars and Sailor Moon glanced over at Vesta, lunging as a tiger at Venus. They saw the veteran senshi expertly dodge the great cat, then trap her in the golden links of the Love Me Chain. Vesta changed into a fox, but Venus kept her at bay with Crescent Beam shots so Vesta couldn't attack. Similarly, Jupiter's electrical field was keeping Ceres' vine attack at bay. Juno sprayed her with water, filling the room with the sounds of popping and sizzling.

"So, are you ready to stop mooning over Helios and get some practice in?" Mars nudged gently.

"Aunt Rei," Sailor Moon huffed.

"Princess," Pallas said suddenly. They both looked at her. "You've got a big surprise coming."

"I do?" Sailor Moon replied, perplexed. "What is it?"

"What is what?" Pallas asked blankly.

"The surprise?" Sailor Moon said. Pallas remained blank. "You just said I have a big surprise coming."

"Did she?" Pallas murmured, her brow furrowed. "Pallas remembers having a vision, but she doesn't remember saying anything."

"What was the vision of?" Mars gently prodded the girl.

"Well," Pallas said, searching her unreliable memory. "Pallas saw the Princess. At least, she thinks it was the Princess. It was a little dark and Pallas couldn't see very well. But she was in her senshi fuku - - only it was different. And she had such pretty, pretty wings!"

"Wings?" Sailor Moon repeated with puzzlement.

"Was she doing anything?" Mars questioned the girl. "Did she seem upset or threatened?"

"Um," Pallas shook her head. "Pallas isn't sure. Pallas is very sorry. She doesn't remember the rest of it."

"That's OK. Maybe it will come to you later," Mars consoled her. Then she glanced at Sailor Moon. "Wings?"

"I don't know, Aunt Rei," Sailor Moon shrugged.

* * *

Evening came over Crystal Tokyo and the entertainment district came to life. And, like moths to flame, the young and the young at heart came to answer the district's siren song. Walking hand in hand, Hotaru and Yutaka allowed themselves to enjoy the night, the bustle of the district at night and most of all each other's company. In the two plus years she'd known him, Hotaru had noticed that the rail-thin stripling had begun to fill out into a man, particularly through the shoulders. When she pointed it out, he had shrugged and said it was from helping his father with maintenance duties at the palace. Though he was still slim, his new masculinity had given Hotaru more than one fantasy when she was alone in her room, as well as a few like thoughts when they were together. But there was always the darker thought lurking in the back of her mind that, in comparison to his growth, her petite frame looked even more small and sickly.

"What are you thinking about?" Yutaka asked. Caught, Hotaru momentarily flushed. "Are your sessions with Mizuno-Sensei troubling you?"

"No," Hotaru said softly and released his hand so she could cling to his arm. "Actually Mizuno-Sensei has been a big help. She's able to bring what I'm afraid of out into the open and explain it so clearly. It almost doesn't seem so frightening when she explains it. She's very smart."

"Well, you're smart, too," Yutaka contended. "Didn't you tell me last week that you got a 98 on your chemistry test? And it was just last year that you were going on and on about how there was so much progress and so much learning to catch up on because you'd jumped from the twentieth century to the thirtieth, and how you'd never make it."

Hotaru lowered her head to hide her embarrassed smile.

"You were so proud of that score," Yutaka continued. He gave her a shy but earnest smile. "I like seeing you that way."

"Thank you," Hotaru replied softly. "I'll never be as smart as Mizuno-Sensei, though."

"Who is?" Yutaka asked "Just because you're not Mt. Fuji doesn't mean you're not a mountain."

Hotaru realized he was right. Ami Mizuno's last measured IQ was 330. That was the highest in eleven hundred years of history of IQ measurements, by nearly forty points. Only Yui Bidou, the criminal genius known as Viluy, came close with a recorded measurement of 294.

"That's right," Hotaru nodded, impressed by Yutaka's earthy wisdom.

"My dad says that," Yutaka grinned. "Hey, want to check out The Sonic? They've got a new band this week: Voice Of Submission."

"Are they loud?" Hotaru asked with distaste. Yutaka's tastes in music ran more toward driving beats and high decibels than hers did.

"They're not that loud," Yutaka shrugged. "Or if you want, we can head over to Tokada's and eat. We can get a booth in the back."

"The one where no one can see us?" Hotaru asked. Yutaka nodded. A hardly angelic smile grew on Hotaru's lips. "That sounds interesting."

Further conversation halted when a loud crash knifed through the evening. Hotaru and Yutaka looked to the sound. They found the crystalline front window of a local restaurant shattered, crystal fragments strewn all over the walkway. Pedestrians fell back, staring and pointing into the restaurant. Patrons from inside the restaurant were running out in fear and panic from whatever broke the front window. Already surveillance drones were closing in to transmit audio and video to the Central Defense and Protection Department.

"Something's going on in that restaurant," Yutaka said. He stepped in front of Hotaru protectively, staring intently at the commotion.

"I don't see the CDP yet," Hotaru noticed. "Maybe I'd better do something."

Yutaka turned and looked at her nervously. She could tell he didn't want to admit that she could handle the situation better than he could. She also could tell that he didn't want her risking her safety. Silently she nodded, telling him that she would be all right. Reluctantly he relented and Hotaru's henshin stick appeared in her hand.

Before she could transform, thin, reed-like tendrils pushed out the broken openings in the restaurant. They swirled and writhed, reaching for something unseen. Perhaps they were after a specific target and perhaps they were just clutching blindly for anything. Hotaru and Yutaka couldn't tell. Then a figure emerged amid the swirling, clutching tendrils. It was a female figure and she wasn't in a hurry like the restaurant patrons had been. Hotaru stared in confusion. This darkened figure had to be in control of these runaway plants. But who could it be?

The figure moved forward enough for the street light to strike her face and Hotaru nearly went into shock. It was Sailor Ceres and from the look on her face, she was in complete control of the monstrous plant. Not only had she initiated the attack - - she was reveling in it.

Continued in Chapter 2


	2. Unwelcome News

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 2: "Unwelcome News"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

In the quarters that housed Haruka Tenoh, Michiru Kaioh, and Hotaru Tomoe, Michiru sat before a virtual display of sheet music. Her violin was tucked under her chin and she stroked the strings with her bow to the tune before her. The piece was "Adel's Sunset", a classical piece written in the Prussian Democratic States in 2581. Though the piece was orchestral in nature, it featured a very powerful violin solo that Michiru found quite complex and challenging. So whenever she practiced her violin anymore, she practiced with "Adel's Sunset".

"I still have to watch that last 'A' over 'C'," Michiru thought as she finished the piece and brought her bow and violin down. With a wave, the virtual sheet music faded. "It's a very tricky bridge. If you're not concentrating, you miss it." Her frown over her performance shifted to a smile of admiration. "I do wish I'd gotten the chance to meet Hiram Shuster when he was alive. I'd really like to have discussed this piece with him."

Michiru practiced her violin for one hour three times a week when she was on Earth. It was part of the discipline her father had instilled in her and, yes, part of the love of performing her mother had given her. With precise movements, Michiru locked the violin away in its protective case. Softly she asked the environmental control computer for the time.

"Hotaru should be back in an hour or so," Michiru mused when the computer responded. "I hope she's having fun. She was so depressed after her last mission to Brasilia." The woman gave herself a knowing smirk. "It's funny how Yutaka is able to lift her spirits the way he does. Oh, Michiru, I do believe your little girl is in love."

Wandering into the private room Haruka used to pursue her hobbies, Michiru found the woman at a computer station. Softly she approached and peered over Haruka's shoulder.

"Still trying to design the perfect racing vehicle?" Michiru asked.

"It's coming," Haruka grunted. She was using a light stylus to make changes in an air car design on her computer. The changes were reflected on a three-dimensional hologram projected onto the desk. This air car was different than commercial air cars. The design was sleeker and more phallic. "If I can work out the aerodynamics to maximize speed and minimize structural vibration, I can hit Mach-1 with commercial pounds per thrust propulsion."

"Oh, car talk!" huffed Michiru. She placed her two hands atop Haruka's head and leaned her chin on them. "Haruka, I love you, but when you rattle on about your cars and your engineering, you can be SO deathly dreary."

"If I can stay awake through a monologue about the relative merits of Handel versus Shuster," smirked Haruka, glancing up at her, "then you can stand a little car talk."

Michiru shifted her arms down so that they crossed Haruka's throat. They were loose enough to be playful, yet just tight enough to be menacing.

"Critique not my love for Shuster," Michiru warned softly.

"Firefly's not back yet?" Haruka asked.

"She's got another hour or so."

"That's what worries me."

"You promised," Michiru said, lightly swatting her partner's head.

"I also promised to stop sneaking chocolates, and I didn't follow through on that either," Haruka muttered. "Save," she said and the computer stored the current alterations to the model.

"I wondered where those chocolates were going," Michiru eyed her with a smirk.

Just then the door to the outer quarters opened. Haruka and Michiru got up and went into the outer room. There they found Hotaru in the kitchen, cradling a container of juice. The girl had a faraway look on her face.

"Hotaru?" Michiru inquired, coming over. Haruka was close behind. "Honey, are you all right? Did something happen?"

"Um," Hotaru began hesitantly. Both Haruka and Michiru could tell the girl was reluctant to answer.

"Did that boy do something?" Haruka demanded sternly.

"No, Papa," Hotaru frowned impatiently. Then she softened. "There was this restaurant, and - - well, something was happening inside. It sounded like a fight."

"Did you get involved?" Michiru asked, concerned.

"No," Hotaru answered with some guilt. "I - - I thought about transforming, but the person ran away. I decided to let the CDP handle it."

"Well, that is why they're here," Michiru moved in, stroking Hotaru's hair. "Sometimes we senshi have to decide when it's best to act." She offered Hotaru a smile. "I imagine the whole business didn't do your date much good."

"No."

"Do you want me to fix you something?"

"No," Hotaru shook her head and moved toward her room. "I need to call Usa."

And into her room the girl disappeared. Michiru silently turned to her mate and saw the same concerns mirrored in Haruka's face. More had happened than Hotaru was telling. The questions were what and why was she hiding what had happened.

* * *

Endymion sat at his desk in his office, his personal work station displaying spread sheets of Japan's economic indicators for the last three months matched against selected countries of the world. It was all part of his job as monarch of the island to keep Japan prosperous. It was part of his plan to keep as much of the rest of the world prosperous as he could, for economic prosperity was an environment that made following his wife's teachings and examples more likely to happen. In the last thousand years, Endymion had learned through bitter experience that others were less likely to be jealous of Japan's success if they were also successful. That was additional motivation for his work, as it was one more way he could protect his country, his family and his way of life. Glancing at the time in the lower right of the screen, Endymion realized he'd worked into the night again. Serenity would be angry with him.

A tickle formed in the back of his brain. A small smirk curled onto his lips, but he kept still and his gaze locked on his computer screen. Moments later, delicate hands closed around his eyes.

"Guess who?" a high-pitched voice giggled.

"Ami?" Endymion responded. The hands whipped away from his eyes.

"Why would you guess Ami?" howled Queen Serenity indignantly.

"To get the exact reaction that I'm getting from you right now," Endymion said with a smirk of superiority. He received a petulant pout from his wife. "Come here," he said and gently grasped one of Serenity's hair trails.

Reluctantly she followed as he pulled her to him. Cooly she kissed him. Their lips parted, but their expressions remained the same.

"Haven't you realized yet that you can't sneak up on me?" Endymion inquired.

"Smarty," Serenity scowled.

"So, don't you have anything better to do than act like a ten-year-old?" he asked her. "Not that I don't appreciate the visit."

"I like acting like a ten-year-old," protested the Queen. "It's fun!" Her eyebrow cocked. "You could stand to have a little more fun."

"I get to tease you mercilessly. How much more fun does a person need?"

"You're as bad as Rei," Serenity grumbled.

"Yeah, but I get all the good parts," Endymion smirked and grabbed the royal bottom. Serenity jumped with a squeal.

An incoming call from the Central Defense and Protection Department of the Japanese Government popped onto Endymion's computer screen, as it was programmed to do if the message was designated a vital communication. CDP Chief Nakamura found King Endymion in a headlock being administered by Queen Serenity. There was a pregnant silence as all parties stared at one another.

"Um," Chief Nakamura said with an air of mild disdain, "forgive me for intruding."

"It's quite all right," Endymion assured him as Serenity's arms disappeared behind her back and her cheeks colored to a soft rose hue. "What's happened?"

"There was an incident in the entertainment district this evening," Nakamura related with his usual precision and control. But Endymion noticed that he was just a little more formal than usual. "A restaurant was wrecked in a clear case of wanton vandalism and property destruction. And the perpetrator was identified as Sailor Ceres."

"Really," Endymion replied thoughtfully. Serenity let out a small gasp of surprise. "You're certain?"

"Interviewed witnesses all identify the perpetrator as Sailor Ceres," Nakamura reported. "Video surveillance confirms this. According to witnesses, Sailor Ceres entered the restaurant and demanded the restaurant be cleared so she could eat in peace - - her words according to multiple witnesses. When she was refused, she turned a monster plant loose and wrecked the place."

"Endymion, that can't be possible!" howled Serenity.

"Your Majesty, I'm calling both to let you know about this and to see if Sailor Ceres is in the palace," Nakamura persisted.

"Um," Endymion frowned. "Computer, location of either Cere-Cere or Sailor Ceres in the palace?"

"Cere-Cere is currently located in her quarters," the computer replied.

"Yes, Chief, she's here," Endymion told him. "Did you just want to question her or - - did you want to arrest her?"

"We have enough evidence to arrest," Nakamura said pointedly. "Is that a problem, Your Majesty? I realize she's a member of The Princess's inner circle . . ."

"That's not why I'm hesitating, Chief," Endymion snapped.

"May I remind Your Majesty of her record," Nakamura added.

"It's not possible!" Serenity cried. "Cere-Cere has reformed! She's not the person she used to be! There has to be another explanation!"

"Your Majesty," Nakamura pressed Endymion.

Endymion sighed heavily. "Send your men, Chief. But I intend to check a few things while they're en route. If I don't find anything to contradict your evidence - - you can proceed as you see fit."

"They're on their way, Your Majesty," Nakamura replied and cut the communication.

"Endymion!" Serenity gasped incredulously.

"Those who make and enforce the rules of society are the very last ones who can be above them," Endymion told her. "We're not giving up on her by allowing her to be arrested. We'll get to the bottom of this. If she's been set up, we'll find out. If not - - we'll try to help her."

* * *

Though it was only nine p.m., Palla-Palla was already asleep. Even though she was seventeen, Palla-Palla always "went beddie-bye good night time" by nine because she always had and one of the aspects of her retardation meant she was an incurable creature of habit. It also meant that the older she got, the earlier she woke up - - she was currently waking up at five a.m. and immediately playing her "Yumi-Chan's Toyshop" vids, to the irritation of Cere-Cere.

When Cere-Cere came in, she found Ves-Ves draped over a sofa, silently listening to music through a pair of sonic patches which attached to the skull behind the ears and transmitted sonic vibrations through the skull to the inner ear. No doubt the music program was the Samba mix she'd picked up in Brasilia on their last trip. Jun-Jun was at her computer station leafing through new hover bike designs and accessories. In the time since she'd acquired it, that bike had become very important to Jun.

Without a word to her sisters, Cere passed through the main quarters and into her own room. Ves didn't notice, as she was absorbed with her Samba music and as she rarely concerned herself with Cere's comings and goings. Jun noticed, though, and left her seat in front of the computer station. She approached the door and listened.

"Cere?" Jun inquired. There was no response. "Cere, you OK?"

Again there was no response. For a moment, Jun debated on whether or not to invade the private sanctity of her sister's room. Having a private refuge was important to all of them, but no more so than Cere and incursions, usually by Ves, had resulted in some very loud arguments. But something didn't feel right.

"Access, please," Jun said to the door. If Cere had her room in privacy mode, only the King and Queen or one of the elders could have entered using a security override. But the door hissed open. Jun peered in. This attracted Ves's attention and she wandered over after disengaging her music transmission.

"What's up?" Ves asked. They were looking at Cere asleep in her bed. The girl had changed to the clingy magenta satin and lace romper she usually slept in, the one they all thought was way too sexy for a seventeen year old girl - - even though Jun secretly admired the way Cere looked in it.

"She's asleep," Jun said. They pulled back and the door hissed closed. Ves shrugged. "That's kind of odd behavior. You know what a night owl she is. She's usually the last one to go to sleep."

"Maybe she had a wild night out and she's just tired," Ves offered. "At least I don't have to listen to her complain about how messy I am or how none of the guys at the club would give her the time of day."

"Maybe," Jun murmured. "She did seem a little - - well, muted. Usually you can't get her to shut up about her nights out. And it is her first night out since she broke up with Gallan."

"There you go," Ves nodded, engaging her music program. "She's probably still beating herself up over breaking the poor guy's heart. Give her some space. She'll be back to obnoxious in no time."

Jun sat back down in front of the computer station. It seemed logical. So why didn't her mind want to accept it?

* * *

She should be studying. The Princess could hear Diana's voice in her mind saying just that. Or she should be socializing with her friends or watching her mother and father as they performed their duties, duties that one day would be her duties. Or working on the drawing light pad that she'd recently taken up again. She should be doing anything other than sitting in the middle of her bed in the middle of her room, with her pink crystal in front of her trying to will her thoughts to contact Helios in Elysian.

But there she sat, trying to draw every last bit of energy from the crystal and make her wish come true. Warnings about trying to make the crystal do more than was its power were forgotten. The young Princess had only one overriding thought in her head. Besides, consequences were the province of adults, with their rules and their limitations. It was the incontestable right, she felt, of every teen to reach for as much as she could grasp and to recognize no boundary until she herself had tested it.

"Are you at that again?" fussed Diana. Usa tried not to look at her, but her voice sounded like it was near the door.

"Diana, I can't concentrate with you talking to me!" barked Usa, her eyes clamped shut.

"Well it's a skill you're going to have to learn," countered the cat. "You may need to summon your crystal in the midst of battle." Though her eyes remained closed, the teen's tongue darted quickly out and then back in again. "Your computer is signaling you have an incoming message."

"It can wait," Usa mumbled.

"Mind that you don't over-extend yourself."

When Usa didn't answer, Diana went back to her initial mission, that being finding a place to sleep that her mother couldn't find. Diana loved her mother, but Luna was such a taskmaster that she occasionally had to get away from the elder cat for a while. Slipping into the closet, Diana found a comfortable corner and curled up.

As for Usa, she remained on her bed valiantly trying to draw enough power from her crystal to contact Helios. The process was tiring her out and she faced the prospect of failure once again. It was a bitter pill for her, though, and she kept at it, for the alternative was spending another evening without him. Sure, he'd come to her in her dreams, as he had for every night since that moment they'd joined on the barren planetoid between Earth and Zachar. But it wasn't enough anymore. She had to have more.

She had to. And with that, the pink crystal pulsed.

"Maiden?" Usa heard in her mind. Her heartbeat spiked.

"Helios?" she thought back.

"Maiden, where are you? I sense your thoughts, but I do not see you."

"I'm on Earth! I'm using my crystal to thought-cast to you! Oh, Helios, I've missed you so much!"

"As have I, Maiden," Helios said, standing in his human form amid several horses in a grassy field on Elysian. "But tell me, you do not unduly tax yourself by doing this, do you?"

There was no response.

"Maiden?" he thought.

Nothing. The Protector of Dreams lowered his gaze.

"Perhaps the energy required was too great to maintain communication," he thought.

"My Lady?" Diana said, rousing from the closet after hearing a thud in the room, back on Earth. She peered out of the closet.

Usa had tumbled from her bed and was sprawled awkwardly against the side, her cheek resting on the floor. She was unconscious.

Continued in Chapter 3


	3. Til Proven Guilty

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 3: "Til Proven Guilty"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Hotaru sat on her bed and frowned at the computer next to it. She had tried to call Usa, but there was no answer from the Princess. Hotaru wondered what Usa could be doing.

But mostly she wondered why Cere-Cere had destroyed that restaurant. It had been Cere, in her guise of Sailor Ceres, in front of the restaurant. There was no doubt. And who else could control plant life the way Sailor Ceres could? But why would Ceres do such a thing? Had she been battling to defend someone in the restaurant?

No. Hotaru remembered the look she saw on Ceres' face. Ceres had willfully destroyed the place for nothing more than the perverse enjoyment of it. Hotaru had never faced Cere or the others when they had been fighting for the Dead Moon Circus, but she'd heard some stories from Minako Aino and she'd researched as much of the records of the time as had survived from the twentieth century. This was something the old Cere-Cere would do.

And that's why she wanted to talk to Usa: to warn her, first, but also to discuss what they should do. If Cere-Cere was a danger, Hotaru felt she had to tell someone about it. But Cere was also a friend, and the idea of turning her over to the authorities made Hotaru feel vaguely disloyal. And if it was something other than Cere reverting to her old ways, turning her in might harm their friendship and that was something Hotaru didn't want.

"Oh, Usa," Hotaru sighed and flopped down on the bed. "I wish you'd pick up."

There was a knock on Hotaru's door. Sighing in frustration, Hotaru stopped the call to her friend's room.

"Come in," she said unenthusiastically. The girl had a feeling she knew who it was.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Haruka asked, poised in the doorway.

"Usa must be busy," Hotaru answered.

"Umm," Haruka nodded. She ambled over until she was next to the bed, towering over petite Hotaru. The girl seemed to shrink a little. "This thing with the restaurant has really got you strung out."

She waited, but Hotaru didn't reply. So Haruka continued.

"I don't know why," Haruka continued. "With some of the stuff we both know you've gone through in your life, something like this shouldn't give you this much trouble."

Again she paused and again Hotaru stayed silent.

"Unless there's more to it."

Hotaru released an involuntary, but very telling sigh.

"I know I'm not the Princess," Haruka told her, "but I'm willing to listen if she can't."

"I'm not sure I should tell you," Hotaru responded. Haruka could hear the pain in the girl's voice. "I'm sorry, Papa."

"Is it about that crack I made earlier about - - what's his name? I'm sorry about that, Firefly. You're my most important and I get a little nuts sometimes because of that. But if it's important to you, I can control my temper. Don't feel you have to hide things from me because you're afraid of how I'll react."

"It might help if you used his name," Hotaru murmured. "It isn't about Yutaka."

"Then what is it?" Haruka persisted. "Hotaru, I want to help. I hate seeing you like this. But I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."

"I know," Hotaru whispered. "Maybe that's the problem. Maybe nobody can help."

Haruka stared down at the slight teen that meant so much to her. Her face twisted in agony. Michiru had warned her not to venture in, but she needed to. She needed to give Hotaru the love and support and understanding that she never got as a child those many years ago. She wanted to be the parent to Hotaru that her parents weren't to her. But the girl wouldn't let her. The gulf of age separated them. And, no matter how close they were, Haruka was the disciplinarian and that fear that being the disciplinarian instilled in a child would always be there. Haruka felt like lashing out, but she kept it in. That was the last thing she could do.

There was a knock on the door, followed by Michiru entering the room. Since Haruka was already in there, Michiru felt there was no need to ask permission. Haruka glanced at her and at once picked up on the mystified anxiety in her mate's face.

"Hotaru," Michiru said softly, "could you come out here please."

Reluctantly Hotaru got off the bed and went into the outer living quarters. Haruka followed, silently questioning Michiru the entire time. Michiru could offer nothing, though. In the outer room, the mystery only deepened.

"Y-Your Majesty?" Hotaru gasped. Endymion stood in the center of the room.

"Hotaru," Endymion said. He was calm, but very business-like. "Surveillance drones have placed you in the vicinity of Sashimi's Inn at about eight forty-five tonight. You're not in any trouble. I want you to tell me exactly what you saw."

As she looked up at the king, Hotaru felt her insides begin churning. For a moment she considered covering for Cere, but the look on Endymion's face told her that his surveillance drones had already identified everyone there, including Cere. The eyes of her adoptive parents bored into the back of her head as Endymion held her attention with an iron gaze of his own. Hotaru wanted to run and hide. There seemed to be no way out of it, though.

"All right," Hotaru answered, her voice quavering. She forced her gaze down, unable to continue looking at Endymion.

Little had changed in the Asteroids' quarters. Palla-Palla and Cere-Cere were both asleep in their rooms, while Ves-Ves listened to samba music and Jun-Jun ether-shopped for hover bike accessories. It was a typical night, free for once of homework during the school break and untroubled by senshi business.

"King Endymion and Queen Serenity desire entry," announced the environmental computer. Jun looked to Ves with surprised and saw it mirrored in her sister. The Royal Couple never visited them in their quarters. They were always summoned to the Royal Chambers when something was up.

"Uh oh, what did I do now?" Ves frowned.

"Come in, please," Jun said breathlessly. The computer complied and opened the door.

Endymion walked into the room, wearing his standard pale gray tuxedo and white cape. His demeanor was quiet, but confident and commanding as always. The two teens instantly fell ill at ease, for Endymion always projected an aura that was just a little bit intimidating. Behind him was Serenity, dressed in her strapless white gown with the bow in the back that resembled the wings of an angel. As usual, she disdained her crown - - Serenity had given up wearing it years ago except for special occasions, maintaining that it put people at a distance. She was anything but intimidating. However, the solemn look of distress on her face was not reassuring.

"I'd like to speak with Cere-Cere," Endymion told them. His tone was calm and even, but the undercurrent of it told them not to argue.

"Uh, sure," Jun nodded nervously. "I'll go get her."

"What's wrong?" Ves asked. As usual, Ves showed little deference to authority. It was a trait that Endymion secretly admired in the girl - - at times. Now was not one of those times.

"What time did Cere-Cere get home tonight?" Endymion asked.

"She's been here all night," Ves replied with as much challenge as she could muster. The girl sensed the tone of this visit from her vast experience dodging the law in her previous life and, though she didn't know what Cere was suspected of, Ves knew Cere was a suspect and would protect her however she could. "Why?"

"Ves-Ves," Endymion frowned, "don't compound this situation further by lying to protect her. I won't warn you again."

"Who says I'm lying?" Ves shot back belligerently. "I suppose you've got proof?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Endymion replied cooly. "Cere-Cere is shown by surveillance cameras returning through the front gate at 9:06 pm."

Before Ves could reply further, Jun and Cere entered the room. Cere seemed groggy, but the sight of the king and queen snapped her out of her haze. She had put a robe over her clingy satin romper, but the sheer nature of the robe didn't really help a lot.

"Cere-Cere," Endymion began cooly, but with a sharp gaze, "what did you do when you were out tonight?"

"Tonight?" Cere asked. Everyone could see she was searching her memory, as if trying to identify something that would be the cause of this. "I went to this club. I was looking for a date. This guy came up and we got to talking." Cere seemed to mist up a little with emotion. "But - - it was too soon. Too soon after Gallan, you know? I-I brushed him off."

"That's all?" Endymion asked.

Cere's brow furrowed. "Yeah. I must have fallen asleep. It's all I remember."

"You fell asleep?" Endymion asked, eyeing her critically. "Cere-Cere, did you have any alcohol to drink tonight?"

Immediately Cere tensed. Her eyes popped just slightly. Though she didn't reply, everyone in the room knew the answer.

"The truth," Endymion added sternly.

"Hiro," Cere admitted reluctantly, "bought me a couple of drinks." She sagged. "I know I'm not supposed to, but I'm seventeen! I thought I could handle it! Guess I couldn't."

"What club was this?"

"Tanaka's Palace," Cere confessed, "on Avenue B."

"Was that before or after you went to Sashimi's Inn?" Endymion asked.

"I-I didn't go to Sashimi's Inn," Cere told him.

"The truth," Endymion reiterated.

"I am telling the truth!" Cere protested. "I didn't go to Sashimi's Inn! I only went to Tanaka's Palace! After I brushed Hiro off, I must have fallen asleep for a bit because of the alcohol. When I woke up, I felt so tired and depressed that I just came home!" Cere saw the skepticism in the King's eyes, a familiar sight since their reform. "I'm telling the truth!"

Endymion sighed. "At about 8:45 pm, Sashimi's Inn was vandalized by a gigantic plant," he informed the room. Instantly the eyes of Ves and Jun shot to Cere. "City surveillance drones caught the perpetrator and recorded her."

"Me?" gasped Cere in shock and disbelief.

"Hotaru Tomoe requests entry," the environmental computer announced.

"Show her in," Endymion said. The door hissed open and Hotaru entered. Behind her were two CDP officers and CDP Chief Nakamura. Cere's eyes went saucer wide.

"The drone's playback shows you, as Sailor Ceres, in control of the plant," Endymion told her. "The plant destroyed the interior of Sashimi's Inn."

"There has to be a mistake!" Cere exclaimed. "Some glitch in the drone's recording system! I don't do that sort of thing anymore!"

"You were positively identified by fifteen patrons and eight staff as being in the restaurant and being in command of the plant," Nakamura stated crisply and in a very accusing manner.

"They're wrong! It wasn't me! It couldn't be me!" howled Cere.

"Yeah, it couldn't have been her! It had to have been someone dressed like her!" added Ves.

"Commanding a mutant plant?" Endymion asked.

"It's possible!" Ves replied.

"Hotaru," Endymion said, turning to the teen hovering by the door. "Did you see Sailor Ceres come out of that restaurant tonight?"

Hotaru's eyes bulged. She looked first to Endymion, then to Cere, and back to Endymion. Her mouth opened, but no sound could come out. Everyone could tell this was the last place in the universe she wanted to be in.

"Hotaru," Endymion said again in his calm but commanding way. Hotaru lowered her eyes in surrender.

"It," she squeaked, "could have been her." The testimony seemed to deflate Endymion as much as either of the three asteroids.

"There's clearly enough evidence to hold her pending the investigation's conclusion, Your Majesty," Nakamura ventured.

"Yes," Endymion whispered.

"BUT I DIDN'T DO IT!" Cere wailed, tears flowing from her.

"Cere-Cere, until we decide this conclusively," Endymion told her, "you'll be confined to the holding room here in the palace."

"Your Majesty," Nakamura started to protest.

"You'll still have access to her for interrogation, Chief," Endymion countered. "Nothing against your holding facilities, but her time in service to the Princess has earned her this consideration. And there will be no further publicity about this from your office."

Nakamura tensed for a moment. "Yes, Your Majesty." He turned to the two officers. "Escort her to the palace holding facility and secure her in."

The two officers advanced. Just as quickly, Cere began to back away in a panic. Then Serenity moved in and took the girl's hands.

"Cere, please calm down," Serenity smiled. "We'll find out what happened and clear this all up. Please go with them. You'll be very comfortable."

"I-I didn't do it!" Cere sobbed. "You believe me, don't you?"

Serenity smiled. "Yes," she said. "The person I know you are now could never do something like this. But we have to think of everyone, and everyone will be more at ease if you're confined until the truth comes out. Please bear with us."

Cere dropped her head. After a pregnant silence, she nodded her head. The officers took her by the arms and led Cere to the door. Hotaru avoided eye-contact. Ves smoldered angrily, while Jun was simply stunned.

Then the door to Palla-Palla's room hissed open.

"Where's Cere-Cere going?" Palla-Palla asked. Instantly Ves pivoted and headed for her. "Ves-Ves? Where are they taking Cere-Cere?"

"Go inside," Ves commanded gruffly, herding her sister back into the bedroom.

"But Ves-Ves!" Palla-Palla wailed.

"GO INSIDE!" Ves snapped. "I'll explain it in there."

Palla-Palla whimpered as the two disappeared into the room. Simultaneously the doors closed on Palla-Palla's room and on Cere-Cere in the hall with her escorts. Quietly, Hotaru slipped out of the room in shame. Endymion scowled as if he's swallowed something bitter. Serenity's hand touched his arm and he looked at her. The sympathy and support in her gaze was a balm to him, one he was eternally grateful for. His hand closed over hers.

"Y-Your Majesty," Jun began. The teen was stunned and shaken to the core. "There's no way this is possible."

"That's what we're going to determine," Endymion told her.

"Your Majesty, Cere doesn't do that sort of stuff anymore. None of us do! It's our past and nothing could make us bring that back! It's not worth it!"

"I honestly hope you're right," Endymion replied. "This is not something I wanted to do. I can't believe it either, and less so now because of the reactions of you three. But I have to think of the public welfare first and foremost. We'll get to the bottom of this. But I have to do this, just in case we're all wrong."

Endymion and Serenity turned to leave. Jun slipped back down into her chair and stared at the floor.

"It's not fair," they heard her say. "How long are we supposed to keep paying for those times?"

Knowing there was nothing more that could be said, Endymion moved to leave. Serenity followed, looking back on the forlorn Jun-Jun with great sympathy. Then Endymion tensed. Serenity picked up on his vibes instantly. Despite her own anguish, Jun-Jun looked up. The King seemed to stare in horror. Serenity started to reach for him, but Endymion bolted for the door.

"It's Usa!" he shouted as he barreled through the door. At once, Serenity followed at her quickest pace.

Continued in Chapter 4


	4. The Penalty

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 4: "The Penalty"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Endymion raced down the corridor of the palace like the wind itself, his light gray cape fluttering behind him. His teenage daughter was cradled in his arms, her head limply rolled back. The pair glowed with golden energy as they sped down the hall. Diana trailed behind, trying to keep up with the desperate monarch. She had notified the medical unit through the communications device in her collar. Apparently word was getting around. Luna joined her at a corridor junction.

"Diana dear, what in heaven's name happened?" the black cat gasped as she ran along side her gray daughter.

"The Princess has taken ill!" Diana offered. "I'm not entirely certain of the details!"

"Was there some evidence of her coming down with something?"

"No, nothing like that. She was, well, experimenting with her crystal. I'm not certain, but she may have over-extended herself."

"Didn't you try to warn her, Diana! Mentoring the Princess is one of your primary functions!"

"Yes, Mother, I did warn her!" snapped Diana. "Several times! You know how the Princess is when she sets her mind to something!"

Luna's features took on a sad cast. "Yes, the whole family can be a stubborn lot. I suppose you did your best. I'm - - well, there's no sense in discussing the matter further. What's done is done."

"Yes, Mother," Diana thought cynically, "apology accepted."

The infirmary door barely had time to open in order to admit Endymion. Ami flew to his side even as he gently lay his daughter on the medical scanner bed. Life sign readouts sprang up around them as virtual projections. Ami perfunctorily glanced at them, then examined Usa personally.

"How long has she been unconscious?" Ami asked.

"Several minutes at least," Diana responded. "She was already down when I found her."

"Did she hit her head?"

"Her head struck the floor when she rolled off her bed," Diana answered. "Do you know what's wrong with her, Doctor? Why hasn't she awakened?" Ami nodded as she continued to examine Usa.

"Concussion?" Endymion asked.

"Yes, I'm scanning a slight cerebral contusion," Ami murmured, concentrating on her work. "It wouldn't explain the fainting, though."

"But her vital signs are up," Endymion argued.

"Influenced, I imagine, by your golden energy," Ami countered. "The fact that her blood pressure is returning to normal isn't a sign that what initially caused the problem won't return. I'll initiate a full battery of bio-scans while she's unconscious. Hopefully the concussion doesn't worsen."

Reluctantly Endymion backed away and let Ami and her nurse work. He knew Ami was better equipped to help Usa in this instance than he was. Ami was a better doctor - - she always had been. She would get his daughter through this.

Breathing heavily, Serenity appeared in the doorway. She had just now managed to catch up to them. Her chest heaving, the queen lurched forward toward their child. Endymion caught her and held her back so Ami could work. Serenity stared at Usa, the Queen seeming like she would collapse at any moment. Then she turned and buried her face in Endymion's chest. Endymion wrapped his arms around her and nervously watched Ami work.

In the quarters shared by the Asteroid Senshi, Ves-Ves held Palla-Palla as the teen cried inconsolably. Ves struggled to calm Palla-Palla, and struggled as well to quell her own bubbling anger. In her eyes, the King had no right allowing Cere-Cere to be detained. It didn't matter how much "proof" the CDP had against Cere. It wouldn't have mattered if Cere had gone on national vid-stream and proclaimed her guilt for all to hear. Cere was family and doing that to family was an act of war in the eyes of Ves-Ves. The only reason she wasn't actively trying to break Cere out of confinement was that Palla-Palla needed her more.

"Why hasn't Jun-Jun come back yet?" Palla-Palla sobbed, her childish demeanor a stark counterpoint to her physical maturity to anyone who didn't know her.

"Jun's probably still trying to get in to see Cere," Ves told her. "She'll be back."

"But what if they lock Jun-Jun up, too?" Palla-Palla wailed fearfully.

"They won't. Jun doesn't do stupid things."

"She did before," Palla-Palla sniffed and Ves recalled the night Jun spent in the CDP detention cell because she was love-struck enough to follow Quadrel Nakamura where she shouldn't.

"They're not going to lock her up, Stupid," Ves hissed. "And if they do - - then I'll just have to bust both of them out."

"Palla-Palla doesn't think the King and Queen would like that," Palla-Palla whimpered.

"Right now I don't care what anybody likes," rumbled Ves.

At that moment, the door hissed open. Jun-Jun entered. Upon seeing her, Palla-Palla broke away and ran to her sister. Jun caught her and accepted the embrace.

"Did you talk with Cere-Cere?" Palla-Palla asked anxiously. "When is she coming home?"

"They wouldn't let me talk to her," Jun replied morosely. Palla-Palla seemed to contract into herself. "I couldn't find the King or Queen Serenity, either. I was able to track down Kino-Sensei. She couldn't get me in, but she got the CDP to let us talk to Cere over web video."

"Great! What are we waiting for?" Ves exclaimed.

"For them to put the call through," Jun answered. "CDP is going to set up a conference call video, so they can monitor everything that's said."

"Why, are they hoping they'll hear Cere confess or something?" sneered Ves.

"Either that or they're thinking they might hear you blab about some half-baked plan to break her out," Jun said, looking straight at her sister. "And don't tell me you haven't been thinking about it."

"Sure I've been thinking about it!" Ves postured. "If I hadn't been baby-sitting Palla-Palla, I'd have done more than think about it!"

"Well don't!" Jun exclaimed, jabbing her finger belligerently into Ves's shoulder. "It's bad enough one of us is in detention. We DON'T need two!"

"So what, are we just supposed to let Cere rot for something she didn't do?" Ves countered angrily. Jun sighed and put her hand to her forehead.

"Ves," she began with strained patience, "I know you don't trust the police, and I know your history, so I know you've got reasons. But this isn't Sao Paulo and we're not the gang you used to run with. There are rules here that we HAVE to follow. The good thing is that the King and Queen will make sure everybody follows them. It looks bad now, but Cere will get a fair shake. I'm sure of it. So you need to keep your head. What you're planning is just what everybody expects you to do. And if you do it, you're going to make everybody else think they were right, not just about you, but about me and Palla-Palla and Cere as well."

Ves was steaming, that Jun could see. But after a few tense moments, Ves kicked a chair and everyone knew the crisis had passed.

"This sucks so much!" Ves snarled.

Then she felt hands close around her hand. Turning, she found Palla-Palla holding her hand. Though her round face was still tear-stained, she was trying to comfort Ves now as Ves had comforted her earlier. Feeling her throat swell with emotion, Ves pulled the hand from her sister's grasp, then wrapped the arm around Palla-Palla's shoulder. Palla-Palla allowed herself to be drawn in against Ves's side.

Hotaru sat alone in the waiting room, feeling like her life was suddenly swirling down the drain. One friend was struck down by some mysterious malady and it was unknown how soon she would recover. Another friend was in CDP detention and she had pointed one of the accusing fingers at the girl. Had she doomed Cere-Cere to a lifetime of detention? Had she helped to shatter the life the teen was trying to rehabilitate? And if she was cleared, how would she react? How would the other Asteroids react? Had the girl destroyed her friendship with the four other senshi?

The three elder senshi had bustled in earlier. They went straight to Mizuno-Sensei's office to get the latest. Haruka and Michiru were in there, too. Hotaru was content to wait outside. It seemed more appropriate.

Life in the thirtieth century had been a struggle at first. Hotaru had initially felt so alone and isolated. Everything was different in this crystalline technology age. Even Serenity and the elder senshi were different, if only because they'd seen a thousand years of life and were more experienced and knowledgeable. Through it all, Usa had been her life preserver, the thing that kept her from going under. But the Asteroids had been quick to warm up to Hotaru, seeing her as a fellow orphan and refugee given a second chance as they were. And she had been adapting, growing into this new universe and this new life. Her grades were up. She'd been accepted socially. Even her mental abilities were nothing thirtieth century minds feared. Life had become something to enjoy instead of endure.

Could that all end in one day?

"Hotaru," she heard a voice say. Hotaru looked up and found Rei towering over her. Wearing her priest robes, the woman looked down kindly at the waif sitting on the sofa. Without seeking an invitation, Rei sat down beside her. "If there's something you'd like to talk about, I've got a willing ear. Either here or down in the shrine."

Hotaru looked down. Other people would have thought Hotaru was upset about Usa's accident. Knowing Rei, the teen figured she'd "seen" that more bothered her. Rei was trying to help and it was very dear of her. But Hotaru couldn't help feeling mortified that she was such an open book to the priest.

"Thank you, Sensei," Hotaru whispered. "I'll - - think about it."

Naturally Rei could see Hotaru was giving her a polite brush-off. She was used to it. Patting the girl's hand, Rei moved away to give the girl some space. Even though Hotaru hadn't spoken about her concerns, Rei could guess them. She'd heard about the trouble with the Asteroids. Talking to Cere-Cere was on her list of things to do before the emergency with Usa hit. And she'd heard, peripherally, about Hotaru's connection to it. Unless she was missing an integer, Rei could guess what that all added up to. She gave Hotaru a last sympathetic glance before going back into Ami's office. She'd check on Hotaru again later. Right now she had to check on the girl who was like a daughter to her.

Hotaru sat and stared at nothing. Why didn't anything good last, she wondered. Why did life always seem to unravel so suddenly?

"Hell of a night," Makoto said to Rei upon seeing the priest enter the room. Minako was pacing, while Haruka and Michiru were off in a corner consoling each other.

"Anything on Usa?" Rei asked anxiously.

"Ami's still working on her," Makoto reported.

"I wonder what she did now," Minako wondered aloud, wandering over to her two friends. "Suppose she was 'chasing butterflies' again?" Rei grimaced at the familiar reference. When Usa had been a pre-schooler, she had fallen out of a second story window and broken her leg trying to touch a butterfly. Since then, Minako always referred to one of the Princess's ill-conceived adventures as "chasing butterflies".

"Oh, I hope not," Makoto said and they both could see the guilt that still lingered in Makoto over the incident so many years ago.

"You two hear about the Asteroids?" Minako asked, a gossip to the end.

"Jun-Jun stopped me on my way here," Makoto told them. "I got the CDP to allow video communications with her." Makoto let out an almost maternal sigh. "I still can't believe Cere-Cere could do something like that. But it's on video - - and supposedly she did it right in front of Hotaru and Yutaka."

"Which is why we have more problems than just Usa and the Asteroids," Rei told them. "I was just out with Hotaru. That girl is tremendously conflicted between duty and loyalty to her friends and it's eating her up inside."

"Oh, boy," Makoto scowled. "This just keeps getting worse. Think I should say something to her?"

"Give her a little time and space to work it out for herself," Rei suggested. "She's a smart girl. If it persists, give it a shot." Rei shifted uneasily. "I hate to say it, but right now Hotaru is number three on our list of problems."

"Four if you include waiting to see what dumb stunt Ves-Ves pulls," Minako added. The other two women nodded ruefully.

The last thing the Princess Usagi remembered was sitting in her bed, communicating with Helios through a telepathic link she'd established with the help of her pink crystal. Now she was on her back and the ceiling looked a little like the palace infirmary. Shapes were hovering over her. Usa took a moment and tried to recall how to focus her sight. Ami Mizuno was on the right, in her white medical anti-contamination suit with the red cross on the breast. On the left was Usa's mother, looking like she was about to shatter into a million tiny pieces.

One more dollop of guilt from the master.

"Did I faint?" Usa asked breathlessly. She could feel her body. She just couldn't command it yet.

"Apparently," Ami replied kindly.

"How do you feel, Honey?" whimpered Serenity.

"Like someone kicked me in the head," Usa told her. "Sorry if I scared you, Mom."

"She is going to be all right, isn't she Ami?" the Queen queried her friend and the Chief Medical Officer of the Kingdom.

"All of her vitals seem to be approaching normal," Ami answered. "What were you doing before you blacked out, Usa?"

As she tried to collect enough of her senses to form an answer, Usa noticed her father looming behind her mother. She wondered if she should edit the truth, but realized she wasn't coherent enough to try.

"I was using my crystal to make a telepathic link to Helios," the teen mumbled, "so I could talk to him." Everybody in the room seemed to sag a little. "I'm sorry if I overdid it. I just miss him so much."

"Performing a bigger task than your crystal is capable of would account for the drop in blood pressure and fainting," Endymion nodded, touching her shoulder. "It was probably a case of your body realizing that you'd reached your limit before you did. It shut down out of self-defense before you could do permanent damage."

"I'm sorry, Pop," she moaned impatiently.

"I know," he sighed, stroking her forehead with his thumb. "Honey, I don't blame you for wanting to talk to Helios. But you've got to realize that every action has consequences and be careful. You didn't hurt yourself, but you came close. When you're using your crystal, you have to be aware of when you're reaching your limits."

"Yes, Pop," Usa frowned dejectedly.

Endymion stared down at her. How many times in their life together had she said that same acquiescent "Yes, Pop" and meant it at the moment - - and forgotten it just a moment later?

"Maybe when you're older, you can do it, Honey," Serenity offered. "It's not out of the question."

"I know!" Usa exclaimed, growing with excitement. "Mom, I did it this time! I actually talked to him! I could feel his thoughts! It was so beautiful!" She sagged a bit. "If only it could have lasted."

"Just give yourself a little more time to grow," Serenity told her. Usa sighed. Once again her mother asked the impossible of her.

"I'll go tell the others she's out of danger," Ami offered. The doctor moved out of Usa's field of vision.

"Maybe I'd better contact Helios and let him know what happened," Endymion told Serenity. "He may be worried about the abrupt ending of their conversation."

"Could you leave out the part about me fainting, Pop?" Usa asked.

"I wouldn't dream of lying to someone I respect as much as Helios," Endymion replied. There was a glint in his eye that told Usa this was her punishment. The girl huffed at her bangs.

"Are Hotaru and the gang outside?" Usa asked Serenity. "I hope I didn't scare them."

"Hotaru is outside," Serenity said, then paused anxiously. "The others - - well, they're a little busy."

Usa instantly read her mother, which wasn't often a difficult task. "What happened?" the teen demanded.

Continued in Chapter 5


	5. Loss Of Self

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 5: "Loss Of Self"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Timidly Hotaru peeked into the infirmary room. She saw Usa laying on the bed, but it was a moment before Usa saw her. When she did, though, the Princess's face lit up.

"You up to a visitor?" Hotaru inquired.

"You bet! Come on in!" Usa exclaimed. Hotaru hurried in and sat down next to the bed. "I hope you haven't been waiting long. Aunt Ami just now managed to chase Mom and Pop out of here."

"It's not important," Hotaru shrugged. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I could leave right now. But Aunt Ami wants to be thorough."

"Your vital signs look good. So - - what happened?"

Usa looked away with embarrassment. "Oh, you know. 'Push the limits until something breaks.' Aunt Minako calls it 'chasing butterflies'." She glanced back at Hotaru. "Basically me not knowing when to quit. I'll be fine. Sorry if I scared you."

"It sort of comes with being your friend," Hotaru chuckled softly. "I'm used to it."

"So what's all this about Cere?" Usa shifted abruptly.

Hotaru looked down, chagrined. "I-I couldn't help what I saw."

"Hotaru?" Hotaru looked up and saw the mystified concern in her friend's face. "What is it?"

"I feel bad about it," Hotaru admitted, because Usa was the person she could trust above all others. "Cere's in confinement - - and I helped put her there."

"You did what you had to," Usa told her. "If you were there and saw what happened, telling someone isn't wrong."

"But Cere's in trouble now!" Hotaru contended. "If she's innocent, I did wrong by her."

"There's no question about her being innocent," Usa said. "I can't imagine her going back to that life. It's got to be a trick of some kind. But covering for her isn't going to help her. All it's going to do is get you in trouble and help whoever is pulling this trick."

"You think someone set her up?"

"Has to be," Usa nodded. "Or she's being controlled. We both know how that goes. And being in confinement may be the safest place for her if that's what it is. So stop beating yourself up over this. You have to concentrate on proving her innocence. We all do." Usa beat her head into the pillow out of frustration. "If I wasn't stuck here, I'd already be out doing something." The teen expelled a breath. "How are the other Asteroids taking it?"

"I don't know," Hotaru confessed. "I've - - kind of been afraid to talk to them. They might hold this against me."

"They wouldn't," Usa told her. "Well, Ves might. But Jun's too smart. And Palla-Palla is too kind. You know, we need to have a meeting about this - - put our heads together and figure out just what happened."

Without waiting for Hotaru's approval, Usa pulled her computer station over to her bed and began typing. Moment's later, she was looking at Jun-Jun via ethernet link.

"Yes, Princess?" Jun asked. She seemed slightly disappointed.

"Hey, Jun," Usa said. "I heard about Cere. Can you three come up to my infirmary room. We need to talk this over. I think Cere is being set up."

A grateful smile blossomed on Jun's mouth. "Sure. We'll be up as soon as I can collect Ves and Palla-Palla. Um, is Hotaru going to be there?"

Hotaru's eyes sought the floor.

"Yeah," Usa replied. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Not for me," Jun responded quickly. "I can't really predict Ves. Maybe I better ask her when I find her."

"Where is she?"

"Ves?" Jun rolled her eyes. "Who knows. Probably out doing something incredibly stupid and impulsive. If we're not there in fifteen minutes, I'll call you. Um, and thanks, Princess. It's gratifying to know you're still on our side."

* * *

Cere sat on the bed in one of the palace detention rooms. The bed was soft, the furnishings warm and comfortable. Those were by insistence of Queen Serenity, and only after Endymion insisted they have detention rooms in the first place. If it wasn't for the fact that she couldn't leave of her own free will, the room would be just like being in her own bedroom.

With her knees pulled up to her chest and her chin resting on them, Cere contemplated her lot and wondered where everything had gone wrong. She had been adamant that she was innocent of the crimes she was accused of. But given time to think and reflect, now she wondered. Was it possible?

And then, movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Cere turned and saw a dark dot on the wall. Then it moved.

"EEYYYEWWWWWW!" Cere screeched, scrambling off the bed in blind panic as a cockroach crawled along the wall toward her. The teen clutched a pillow to her chest in defense.

"Would you be quiet!" hissed the cockroach.

"V-Vesta?" Cere gasped in astonishment and revulsion.

"A little louder," snarled the roach. "I don't think the guards heard you!"

"What are you doing here?" Cere gasped, kneeling by the bed to get a closer view - - but not too close. "And why are you in that DISGUSTING form?"

"You know a better way to get in here? Roaches can fit through a crack a half a millimeter thick. Study your entomology." Cere rolled her eyes. "The CDP is dragging their feet about establishing an ethernet link to your cell, so I decided to see how you were holding up."

"Thank you," Cere whispered. "There are moments when I want to die. And then sometimes it really gets grim."

"Hey, say the word and I'll bust you out of here," the roach told her.

"And do what?" Cere countered. "Be a fugitive the rest of my life? That's as bad as prison."

"That's just what someone who's never been in prison would say," muttered the roach.

"No, Vesta, I've got to trust in the king and queen to clear me. They're my best shot. I know they'll play straight with me." Cere leaned forlornly against the bed. "Vesta," she began, "do you think I did it?"

"If you say you didn't, I'll believe you," the roach replied. "And even if you did, you probably had a good reason. I've been there. I've broken more than a few rules and I know that sometimes you have to do things the rules don't always let you do. Sometimes you have to do it just to survive - - and sometimes you have to do it so you're not a punk."

There was an awkward pause.

"So did you do it?" the roach asked.

"I'm beginning to wonder," Cere replied. The teen looked haunted. "I don't remember doing it - - but the vids say I did. And Hotaru saw me. And it sounds just like something I would have done - - you know, then. Was it the alcohol, Vesta?"

"Or maybe something in the alcohol," the roach suggested. "It's an old trick."

"Or maybe I'm just losing my mind," Cere choked out. Emotions were getting the better of her. "What if it is true?"

Vesta didn't have an answer for that. Then, suddenly, the door to the room hissed open. King Endymion entered, with a CDP officer behind him. He folded his arms across his chest.

"Sailor Vesta," Endymion said, calm and evenly, but with a tone that demanded obedience, "transform back into your human form."

The roach began to skitter for the floor.

"Right now!" Endymion added.

"Do it, Vesta," Cere admonished. Reluctantly the roach stopped. Then it elongated, rolling onto the bed as it became Sailor Vesta. A couple of scoots brought her to her feet.

"Since I imagine this violation of CDP security procedure was motivated by loyalty to Cere-Cere," Endymion told Vesta, "there won't be any repercussions for this. But if it happens again . . ."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Vesta cut him off with her usual sullen repentance. Endymion nodded to the door and Vesta left. He turned to Cere.

"Please don't lose hope, Cere-Cere," he said to her. "We're still investigating things."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Cere tried to say without her voice cracking. She failed.

* * *

"You absolute moron!"

"Leave me alone," grumbled Ves. Jun-Jun's disapproving eye refused to waver, though, making Hotaru and Usa feel just a bit uncomfortable.

"Ves, everybody in this palace - - Hell, everybody in Crystal Tokyo is ready to believe we're all about to go rogue again and you do something like this?" Jun persisted. "Were you going to break her out?"

"Get off my back!" Ves snapped. "At least I'm doing something! You know Cere is half convinced she did do it, that she's losing her mind or something? And I could have found out more if the King hadn't caught me."

"Hey, what's done is done," Usa offered, trying to steer the gathering back to the topic. Hotaru and Palla-Palla were both clearly disturbed by the argument, which was another reason Usa interceded. "Let's concentrate on finding out what's happening."

"Isn't the King and the CDP already investigating?" Hotaru ventured timidly.

"Doesn't mean we can't," Usa countered. "And there might be something that we can find that they can't."

"Thank you, Princess," Palla-Palla said earnestly. "Palla-Palla knows Cere-Cere didn't do bad. And she's very happy you're trying to help Cere-Cere, too. Palla-Palla is going to tell her that now." Palla-Palla went vacant for a few moments and the others realized she was communicating telepathically with Cere-Cere.

"I think we should check out that club Cere was in," Ves suggested. "The one she was in before she - - before the one that got trashed. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if somebody slipped Cere something while she was there. Maybe that guy who was hitting on her."

"Maybe we can get a name or description of him and check into him, too," Hotaru added. Ves nodded.

"Those are good ideas," Jun began warily, "but I'm wondering how much anybody is going to talk to us." Everyone looked at Jun inquiringly. "A lot of people are going to be wary of us. Guilt by association, you know? A lot of people who think Cere's gone rogue may think we're rogue, too."

"Not if I'm with you," Usa maintained, ever the optimist.

"But can we afford to wait until you're discharged?" Jun asked.

"In that case," Usa said resolutely, "I'll just discharge myself."

Jun and Hotaru gasped. Usa scowled in response.

"Hotaru, do my vitals look OK?" Usa asked.

"Yes," Hotaru replied guardedly. "But Usa, I'm not a doctor!"

"Right now you're the closest thing we've got," Usa said and leaped out of bed. Everyone sprang up to join her. "Let's go before one of the nurses notices I'm gone."

"But Usa," Hotaru fretted, "your parents aren't going to like this!"

The Princess shrugged with a mischievous glint. "So what else is new?"

Junichi Kobayashi owned Tanaka's Palace. It had been a profitable night spot since he had purchased it from the Tanaka family and altered the target clientele to a younger crowd. It had been a wise investment, both financially and from a personal standpoint. The forty-five year old former restaurant manager always had a sense of accomplishment connected with Tanaka's Palace. He had made the venture work through dedication, perseverance and canny inspiration. And the young people who came in, whether to attract a mate or just have a good time, kept him feeling young way past the point where he would have started feeling alienated from the next generation.

As he prepared for the day's business, Kobayashi reflected on the previous late night visit of CDP officers to his club. He had heard about what had happened at Sashimi's Inn. When he found out that the person accused of destroying the place had been in his club first, that was bad. When he found out one of his bartenders had served alcohol to a minor, that was worse. When he found out that the minor in question was the one held for the Sashimi's Inn destruction AND was one of Princess Usagi's senshi - - well Kobayashi decided it warranted an early start to his day today. The citation he could handle. That was a business expense. The fallout from what happened afterward might be worse.

"Excuse me," a girl's voice wafted over the expanse of the club. It was high-pitched, but with a soft, seductive quality to it. Kobayashi turned to it and could scarcely believe his eyes. Princess Usagi stood in the doorway. He knew it was her, for the pink hair and rabbit-ear gathers were as widely known in Japan as one's own name. "May I ask you a few questions?"

Kobayashi nodded, beaming at the Princess. She was even more beautiful in person, radiating an aura of charm and warmth that didn't seem entirely human. Stepping through the door behind her was a smaller teen, a frail girl with shoulder length black hair. The senshi of the Princess were nearly as well known as the Princess or the Royal Family. Kobayashi continued to smile.

Then Kobayashi tensed. Following the Princess in were three other teens also known for their association with Princess Usagi. They were the Asteroid Senshi, Queen Serenity's reclamation projects, the former enemies of the original senshi who had sought the overthrow of the world back in the twentieth century.

The ones associated with the senshi who destroyed Sashimi's Inn.

The sudden chill in the air was apparent to everyone except Palla-Palla. She smiled innocently at Kobayashi. He didn't return the gesture. Ves-Ves stood her ground, glaring a challenge, while Jun-Jun looked away uncomfortably. Usa stepped forward.

"Please don't be afraid," Usa told him. "They won't hurt you."

"As you say, Princess," the owner nodded. But he was still wary of the Asteroids.

"We need to know about last night, when Cere-Cere was here. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

"Yes. The CDP were in here last night. I know all about it."

"Can we talk to the bartender or waitress who served Cere?" Usa inquired.

"Maru was fired," Kobayashi scowled. "I fired him right after the CDP cited me for serving a minor. The CDP is looking for him now."

"I see," Usa whispered. The others looked anxious and disappointed.

"Do you have surveillance in this club?" Jun asked suddenly.

"Yes," Kobayashi nodded. "The CDP has already looked at it."

"May we look at it? We're sorry for inconveniencing you, but it could be important."

The club owner thought a moment, then waved them into a back room. The room was a storeroom for beverages and dry food, all kept in stasis boxes to keep them fresh. In one corner of the room was a computer terminal. Kobayashi sat down at the terminal and inserted a crystal into the drive. He put in time parameters and surveillance footage of the club came up. The five teens watched over his shoulder.

"There's Cere-Cere!" exclaimed Palla-Palla.

Cere-Cere was at the bar, flirting with a handsome young man. He was in his early twenties with thick black hair, a sleek figure and a youthful face. Both of them had drinks and after some prodding from the male, Cere downed it in one gulp. Ves snorted a laugh when she saw Cere's eyes bug out as the alcohol burned a path down the teen's throat.

As events progressed, Cere's demeanor changed. The girl seemed to grow depressed and morose. Despite the efforts of the young man courting her, Cere grew more and more distant. Finally she said something inaudible to the man and then walked away. Views from other angles showed Cere at a back table, apparently sleeping for a few moments, then leaving the club alone.

"Just like she said," Ves said as they all left the stock room for the club itself. "She downed the drink, cuts the guy off and leaves."

"Yeah," Usa nodded. "Did you notice the way her mood changed?"

"That was just like she said, too," Hotaru replied. "She tried flirting with that man, but then she started thinking of Gallen."

Usa nodded. "Did any of you see this guy slip her anything?"

"No," Ves shook her head. "But I'd still like to talk to this guy. You know who he is, Mister?"

Suddenly everyone noticed Palla-Palla had stopped in the center of the room. She seemed to be staring off into space. Concerned, Ves approached her.

"What's up, Stupid?" Ves asked.

"Palla-Palla thought she heard something," Palla-Palla replied.

"Heard with your ears or with your head?"

"She's not sure," Palla-Palla mumbled. Then she livened up. "She can't hear it now."

"OK," Ves said, then turned to Kobayashi. "So do you know this guy?"

"I've seen him in the club a few times," Kobayashi shrugged. "He's usually trying to pick up some girl. I don't know his name. Maru might."

"Yeah?" Jun said suddenly, with uncharacteristic belligerence. "Well I think you're lying."

"Jun?" Usa said, amazed as was everyone by Jun's sudden change of demeanor. Jun's reply was to produce her henshin stick.

"Juno Star Power Make Up!" she shouted and within moments had transformed into Sailor Juno.

"Hey, what's this all about!" Kobayashi gasped. "I'm telling you what I told the CDP!"

"I don't believe you," Juno told him. There was a cold smile on her face and a sadistic glint in her eye. "Aqua Initiation!"

All the water in the room flew toward Kobayashi and collected in a circle around his head. Panicked, the club owner began clawing at the water, hoping without success to pull it away so he could breathe.

"Still sticking to that story, Chief?" Juno leaned in. It was an unsettling flashback to the old Jun-Jun. Everyone looked on aghast.

"Transform!" Usa shouted, shoving her hand up in the air. "Moon Crystal Power Make Up!"

The others responded as ordered. In moments, Sailor Saturn, Sailor Pallas and Sailor Vesta stood ready to act.

"What?" Usa gasped, staring in shock down at her own gloveless hands. "I-I can't transform!"

Continued in Chapter 6


	6. Grounded

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 6: "Grounded"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Junichi Kobayashi clawed at the globe of water surrounding his head, desperately struggling to pull the water away so he could breathe. As he struggled, Sailor Juno looked in with a devil's glint in her eye and a mirthless smile of satisfaction at his pain. The attack had come out of nowhere. One moment he was answering the questions of five teen girls. The next he was under attack, with no legitimate provocation. Just like the attack on Sashimi's Inn by Sailor Ceres.

"Juno, stop it!" cried Sailor Pallas as the other senshi looked on in horror. "You're not bad anymore! Please stop it!"

Lost amid the chaos was the fact that Princess Usagi had tried to transform into Sailor Moon and failed.

"What's the matter, Pallas?" Juno snickered. "Lost your nerve? This low-life knows more than he's telling and I'm going to wring it out of him!" She shoved her face up near the globe of water Kobayashi was drowning in. "Or step on his corpse!"

Without wasting time pleading, Sailor Saturn stepped forward. Juno barely had time to pull back from the glaive slash, but the dark senshi's blade wasn't aimed for her. Instead it cleaved the globe of water in front of Kobayashi's face without touching him. When the glaive passed through it, the globe lost cohesion and splashed to the floor. Kobayashi collapsed to his knees and greedily sucked in air, coughing and wheezing as he did so.

"You want a piece of me?" Juno snarled, whirling angrily on Saturn. Saturn gripped her glaive in a defensive posture.

"Juno, what is it?" Saturn pleaded. "Why are you being like this?"

"Stay out of my way!" Juno warned her belligerently. "I may not have my ball attacks, but I've still got enough to take you down!"

"I don't want to fight you!" Saturn cried. Her eyes were taking on a peculiar violet glow, one none of the other senshi had seen before. "Please don't make me fight you!"

And it was away before Saturn could stop it. The psychic bolt she had tried for several years now to learn to control came unbidden and shot across the room. Pallas sensed it and gasped in alarm. Juno didn't sense it until it struck her between the eyes. Instantly her eyes bulged. Her mouth opened and became misshapen, no sound emerging. Involuntarily her hands gnarled and her limbs contracted. Bereft of support, her body sank to the floor and sprawled awkwardly. Juno quivered, but otherwise couldn't move. Instantly Vesta was kneeling by her side.

"Juno? What the Hell?" she gasped. Turning to Saturn, she demanded, "What did you do?"

"My," Saturn began, horrified, "my psychic bolt. I couldn't stop it! I-I'm sorry!"

Saturn felt a hand close around hers. She turned and found Pallas beside her.

"Pallas forgives you," the senshi offered. "And Pallas knows Juno will forgive you, too - - when she's Juno again." Pallas paused a moment to deal with her shame. "Please forgive Juno, Miss Saturn-Ma'am. Juno wasn't herself."

Without acknowledging Pallas, Saturn moved forward and came to rest on her knees next to Juno and Vesta. Vesta was about to shove her away, but stopped when she saw Saturn's hands glow violet. Not waiting for permission, Saturn placed her hands on Juno. Instantly the senshi's quivering eased. Her hands relaxed and her face became more placid. Finally Juno's eyelids drooped shut and Saturn stopped. The violet senshi nearly dropped her head to her lap with fatigue.

"Miss Saturn-Ma'am?" Pallas asked, kneeling next to her.

"I'll be all right," wheezed Saturn. "Just tired."

"What the Hell?" Vesta exclaimed, her voice struggling with panic. She leaped to her feet. "What the Hell, Princess? First Ceres and now Juno? What the Hell is this?"

"And why didn't you change into Sailor Moon, Princess?" Pallas added. Saturn looked up at her, but was too tired to speak. Usa met their gaze for only a moment, then dropped her eyes to the floor.

"I don't know," she choked out. "I - - let's get Juno back to the palace infirmary." She walked like a condemned prisoner over to the still baffled Kobayashi. "Forgive us for causing you trouble," she told him and bowed.

"T-Thank you, Princess," he mumbled in amazement. "I hope things work out for you and your senshi."

Usa nodded curtly and turned to leave. Saturn saw she was using her senshi communicator to call a medical team from the palace.

She also noticed the tears bubbling around her friend's eyelids.

* * *

Cere-Cere lay on the bed in her detention cell, such as it was in the palace, and tried without success not to be bored. Her ethernet connection was finally up, but it was restricted to certain sites within the palace and was clearly monitored. The moment she found out it was installed, Cere tried to contact one of her sister Asteroids. However none of them were home.

As time crept along, the teen couldn't help but wonder if she faced a lifetime of this. Everything about her life seemed to be spiraling out of her control and she didn't know how to get that control back, or even if it was still possible. She wanted to trust in the Royal Family, in the Princess, in her sisters and Hotaru, and in the elder senshi. It was hard, though. Her life seemed to follow a pattern of good times and security followed by sudden, wrenching chaos and loss of control. It was that way when her parents died in that air car accident, leaving her with no known relative. And it was that way at other times in her life, too. Security seemed to always be a fleeting thing for her. Ruination always seemed to lurk just around the corner, waiting to pounce when she least expected it.

"Prisoner has a visitor," the environmental control computer announced with an even yet commanding tone. "Prisoner will make no sudden moves toward the door. Any sudden moves toward the door will result in a warning energy shock."

"I wonder who this is?" Cere thought. "I hope it's not that CDP Chief. He scares me."

Sitting up on the bed, Cere watched the door from a safe distance. It opened and Makoto Kino ambled in. She nodded to the guard outside and the door shut behind her. Turning, she found Cere and came over.

"How are you holding up, hon'?" Makoto asked, offering the teen an encouraging smile. "Anything I can help you with?"

"I suppose getting me out of here is out of the question," Cere commented, flopping back on the bed.

"Yeah, I don't think Nakamura would like that," Makoto sympathized. She sat down next to Cere. "Don't give into it. I know it's rough, but everybody's trying to figure out what really happened."

"You don't think I did it?" Cere asked.

"No, I don't," Makoto told her, straight and to the point. "I think I've known you long enough to know what kind of person you are."

"That makes one of us," Cere replied. "Kino-Sensei, I don't honestly remember doing it - - but they have it on vid. Hotaru even saw me and she wouldn't lie about something like that!"

"Cere," Makoto interjected, placing her hand on the girl's arm, "I've seen a lot of things in my life. There's all sorts of explanations for what's on those vids. It could be anything from mind control to spirit doubles to - - well, anything. The one thing you have to keep hold of, above everything else, is that you didn't do it. That may not be you on those vids, and even if it turns out it's your body, it's not you doing it." Makoto flashed her a maternal grin. "Because I don't think you're capable of it anymore. And remember, I knew the old you way back when."

Cere took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Thank you, Kino-Sensei," she murmured. "I'm glad you still believe in me. But even if I'm not responsible, what if it happens again? What if whatever took control of me does it again and makes me hurt someone else?"

"Well, that's kind of part of why you're here," Makoto admitted. "It's to protect you as well as everyone else. That is, until we can run whoever or whatever it is to ground and put a stop to it. That's another reason why you can't give in. You have to be here and ready when we run this thing down and we need you again."

"OK," Cere nodded solemnly. "Thanks for the talk, Kino-Sensei. You make a lot of sense."

"No charge, hon'," Makoto replied. "Can I get you anything while I'm here?"

"Some entertainment streams so I'm not bored out of my mind?" Cere answered. Makoto smothered a grin. "And - - well, when the others get back, could you ask them to call me? I-I kind of miss them."

"I can do that," Makoto nodded.

* * *

After watching the medical transport zoom off, the four remaining teens, in their civilian forms, headed back for the palace via the overhead transport shuttle. For those unwilling or unable to use the faster transport disks, the shuttle was their alternative for mass transit. Using crystalline-generated magnetic fields to run on an overhead tram, the shuttle consisted of three train-like cars that circled the city on a pre-programmed route.

The trip was tense. Ves eyed Hotaru with poorly concealed suspicion. This caused Hotaru to shift uncomfortably and avoid eye contact. Palla-Palla sensed the tension and that made her uneasy. And Usa was wrapped up in her own world, worrying about Jun-Jun's actions, her current health, and what had prevented the Princess from transforming into Sailor Moon.

"Ves-Ves," Palla-Palla began with a child's anxiety, "please don't be mad at Miss Hotaru Ma'am. She didn't mean to hurt Jun-Jun."

"I could have stopped her," Ves groused. "You didn't have to do it."

"I'm sorry," Hotaru grimaced. "I can't control it. You know that."

"Yeah, well I've felt one of those things," Ves snapped. "I hope it doesn't do anything permanent."

"I have, too," Hotaru replied softly. "It only comes when my mind is trying to protect itself."

"So it's Jun's fault?" Ves growled. "Well maybe you better take Palla-Palla and me out before we turn back into our old selves, just to be safe! Put a couple more Asteroid notches in your belt!"

"Ves," croaked Usa. "Please stop. Hotaru isn't the enemy anymore than Juno or Ceres was. Something's making them do it. It has to be."

Ves scowled, but said nothing more. Hotaru glanced at Usa with silent gratitude.

"What's doing it, Princess?" Palla-Palla asked. "Palla-Palla doesn't want to be the way she was. She was mean and hurt people. She doesn't want to do that again."

"Maybe Jun can tell us something when she wakes up," Usa suggested.

"Perhaps we should ask the elder senshi for help," Hotaru offered. Usa scowled silently at the idea. "Usa?"

"I don't want to do that," Usa said, her body a knot of frustration. "We can't keep running to the elders every time we have a problem. They didn't have anybody to run to when they were doing this. They had to figure out their problems on their own."

The shuttle pulled up at the palace station and the four teens disembarked. At full speed, they whizzed past the guards at the front gate and bolted for the infirmary. Ami met them at the door.

"Relax, girls," Ami smiled reassuringly. "Jun-Jun is resting comfortably. I'm still running a complete set of physical and neurological scans on her, but I don't see any evidence of permanent damage."

"That's great, Aunt Ami!" Usa exclaimed. "Can we see her?"

"Not for a while yet," Ami replied. "She needs to rest and recover. Advice I remember giving you the last time I saw you."

"Sorry, Aunt Ami," Usa offered meekly.

"I don't appreciate patients checking themselves out of my infirmary," Ami advised her. "Now how exactly did this happen?"

"It was weird!" Ves interjected. "We were talking to this guy about the night Cere's supposed to have flipped out, and all of a sudden Jun flips out."

"What did she do?" Ami asked. Suddenly Ves grew silent, unwilling to further implicate her sister.

"She," Usa began reluctantly, "transformed into Sailor Juno and began physically threatening the club owner. Then she turned on Saturn and Saturn nailed her with a mind bolt. Aunt Ami, it was like she was channeling the old Jun-Jun."

"Oh dear," Ami frowned.

"She's not back-sliding!" Ves spoke up anxiously. "Something is making her do it!"

"Yes, that is still a valid theory," Ami nodded. She thought a moment. "Where did this occur again?"

"Tanaka's Palace," Hotaru answered. "We were there tracing Cere's steps from last night." A light bulb went on over Hotaru's head. "You don't suppose something or someone in Tanaka's Palace affected them both, do you?" Inspiration colored both Usa and Ves.

"It certainly warrants further investigation, wouldn't you say?" Ami nodded to Hotaru.

"Usa," they heard the King say. Everyone turned and found King Endymion framed in the doorway, with Queen Serenity behind him. "I understand you left the infirmary without being released."

"Yes, Pop," Usa whispered, head down.

"Usa, how many times are you going to needlessly risk yourself and your health by acting without thinking?" Endymion demanded with a parent's exasperation.

Usa's lower lip began to quiver. The anger drained from Endymion. He stepped toward his daughter, Serenity moving to get around him. Then Usa broke for him and buried her face in his chest.

"Usa honey, what is it?" Endymion asked.

"I," the teen sobbed as her father's arms folded around her, "I couldn't transform, Pop! I couldn't do it! I may never be Sailor Moon again!"

* * *

In the Central Defense and Protection Department office of CDP Chief Nakamura, the Chief was reviewing budgeting dispersals for the past three months. He was looking for more money and officers to route into juvenile prevention and apprehension. According to the crime statistics - - and there was still crime in Crystal Tokyo, though not nearly as much as in other places in the world - - that was where the most attention was needed.

"Captain Saito wishes entry," announced the environmental computer. Nakamura looked up from his screen.

"Show him in," Nakamura replied, leaning back in his chair. Though the budget needed this review, he was privately grateful for the interruption.

Captain Danguro Saito entered the office. Saito, thirty-nine, was chief of detectives and a sub-commander under Nakamura. He was very efficient and a good detective, so Nakamura trusted him. He was also deferential to Nakamura's authority, which also ingratiated the man to Nakamura, for Chief Nakamura believed in obedience and deference to authority above all else. Nakamura observed the Captain was carrying a memory crystal in his hand.

"Sorry for the interruption, Chief," Saito began as he approached Nakamura's desk. "Normally I would let my department handle this, but given the circumstances . . ."

"What do you have, Saito?" Nakamura asked.

"Another incident involving one of the guardians for the Princess," Saito responded.

"Is the Cere girl out of detention?" Nakamura goggled.

"No, Sir, it was another one. The one named Jun-Jun," Saito told him. "You remember her, don't you?"

"Yes," Nakamura scowled. The name was enough to bring back bitter memories of the teen's fling with Nakamura's outlaw son, Quadrel, and how the fling ended in his son's untimely, but hardly out of character, demise. Nakamura expelled a breath. "What happened?"

"In her senshi identity, she attacked a club owner in the west entertainment district," Saito explained. "Tried to drown him, according to the victim, before the Princess and her other guards pulled her off. The interview with the victim is recorded on this crystal if you want to look at it."

Nakamura reached for the crystal and Saito handed it over. The Chief studied the crystal for a moment, turning it around in his hands.

"Has the Royal Family been notified of this?" Nakamura asked finally.

"No, Sir," Saito reported. "You usually liaison with the palace, so when Fukuhara came to me with this, I thought I better pass it on to you."

Nakamura nodded. He was still staring at the crystal.

"Actions, Sir?" Saito asked.

Nakamura sighed. "I'll review the crystal's contents, and then handle it from there."

"Very good, Sir," Saito nodded, feeling the quandary the Chief was in.

Continued in Chapter 7


	7. Answers Nobody Likes

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 7: "Answers Nobody Likes"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Momentarily taking a break from her palace administrative duties, Luna ambled into the Royal Chambers. She' planned to take a moment to use the food replicators to make a cup of Chamomile tea with a hint of Mandarin orange and then be back to work. What she found was the King, the Queen and Diana huddled around Princess Usagi. Usa was in a frightfully anxious state and it was clear she had been crying. This instantly drew Luna's attention and she leaped up onto the counter near Diana, her vantage point overlooking the three humans sitting at the table.

"I tried, Pop!" Usa exclaimed, her demeanor dire and teetering on the precipice of despair. "I concentrated as hard as I could! But it just wouldn't happen!"

"Diana, what in the name of the great hunter has happened?" Luna whispered to her daughter.

"Oh, it's just dreadful, Mother," Diana replied, Usa's anguish her own. "The Princess was unable to transform into Sailor Moon during an emergency."

"Have you checked your crystal?" Endymion suggested, using his doctor's bedside manner to mask the anxiety he felt.

"Yes," Usa grimaced. In response, she summoned her pink crystal. The gem was dormant and lifeless, radiating no light at all. "I must have burned it out trying to communicate with Helios. Oh, Pop, what am I going to do?"

"Endymion?" Serenity asked, her eyes darting from the inert crystal to her husband. If anything, she seemed more frightened than her daughter was.

"That's very unlikely, honey," Endymion tried to reassure them. "Your mother and I both have done a lot more dangerous things than that when we were your age without our crystals going dead. I seriously doubt that's it."

"Then what is it?" Usa asked frantically. "Why can't I transform?"

Endymion was, unfortunately, stuck for an answer for that question. Fortunately Luna wasn't.

"It's quite simple," the black cat chimed in. Everyone turned to her.

"Luna?" Serenity gasped. "You know what it is?"

"I should say so," the cat replied. "In fact, so should you. You experienced much the same problem in your early years as Sailor Moon."

"I did?" Serenity asked, mystified. Usa stared at her mother with surprise.

"Indeed you did," Luna reiterated. Serenity continued to stare blankly and the black cat's irritation rose. "Perhaps if your mind wasn't cluttered with nonsense and useless information, you might recall it."

"IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO!" Serenity bellowed angrily.

"That aside," Luna replied, looking down at the Queen with disdain. "If I may explain: All senshi destined to ascend to absolute power on their native planet undergo a phase in their evolution where their power shuts down. It's an evolutionary fail-safe designed to prevent the senshi from becoming corrupted by their growing power."

"Really?" Endymion commented. "Designed by whom?"

"I really have no idea," Luna told him. "I know a great deal about the history of senshi in the universe, but I'm not THAT versed."

"So how long do I have to wait to get my powers back?" Usa asked.

"That, My Lady, is quite up to you," Luna told her. "You see, the fail-safe period is designed to teach the possessor of the crystal humility. It provides the budding queen a chance to learn to be a kind and decisive leader without the benefit of power. This also teaches the budding queen not to become too dependent upon the power of her crystal."

"Now I remember!" gasped Serenity. "When the Death Busters first appeared! I couldn't transform for a time. It took my first combining of spirit with Endymion to boost my crystal back into action."

"Precisely," Luna nodded. "And there was also the period against the Dead Moon Circus when you had to combine power with Helios in order to become Sailor Moon and wield an attack. If you recall, you over-extended yourself battling Pharaoh 90 and saving Hotaru from dying and your crystal went dormant for a time."

"So all I have to do is combine with Helios?" Usa perked up.

"Not necessarily," Luna warned. "You may be able to combine with Helios in order to become Sailor Moon. It may also be someone else. This teaches the budding queen the necessity of working with others in harmony, rather than trying to achieve everything yourself. As the power of your crystal grows, the temptation to do so will grow as well."

"But Cere and Jun may need me now!" Usa argued. "Can't we do this after we help them?"

"As I said, My Lady, that's entirely up to you," Luna told her. "When you've achieved what you need to achieve, you will evolve to the next level. But it can't be rushed or forced. To achieve these things, you must above all have patience and perseverance."

"Patience?" Usa gasped. "Great, I'm dead." She scowled and then got up. "I'm going to go look in on Jun."

Endymion and Serenity both patted the girl as she trudged away. When she was gone, Luna shook her head.

"Ah, youth," the black cat muttered. "They all want everything yesterday."

"Perhaps I should stay with her a while longer, Mother," Diana suggested.

"An excellent idea, my dear," Luna replied and nuzzled her daughter. The gray cat scampered out of the room.

"Luna," Serenity said suddenly. "If this 'power outage' is supposed to be a learning experience for future queens, why did mine go out twice?"

"Some of us are slow learners," Luna replied. Endymion struggled to suppress a laugh while Serenity glared at the smug little cat.

"Incoming communication," the environmental computer announced. "Chief Nakamura is waiting for King Endymion on vid-com."

Endymion sighed. "I better take this." He leaned over and kissed Serenity. "Don't kill her. We still need Luna's organizational skills."

"She doesn't have to talk to organize," Serenity replied, shooting Luna a peevish glare.

* * *

Jun-Jun woke up in a palace infirmary room. She glanced around in confusion and found Ves and Palla-Palla sitting by her bedside. Then she noticed Hotaru hanging back in the back of the room.

"What happened?" Jun asked.

"Don't you know?" Ves queried her.

"If I knew, I wouldn't ask," Jun grimaced. "Last thing I remember was," and she thought, "being in that club Cere was in."

"You honestly don't remember anything?" Ves persisted. Jun didn't like the suspicion in her sister's eyes.

"No, I don't," Jun reiterated. "What happened?"

Ves looked at Palla-Palla. She didn't want to be the one to tell the story, and the task was beyond Palla-Palla.

"Come on! What happened?" Jun demanded.

"You reverted to," Hotaru began reluctantly, "to your old self."

"My old . . .?"

"Circus days," Ves replied curtly. Jun went pale.

"Like Cere?" Jun gasped. "Did I hurt anyone?"

"You attacked the club owner," Hotaru said softly. "When I tried to stop you, you - - well, you turned on me."

Jun looked to Ves for confirmation. She found it in her sister's eyes.

"Just like Cere," Jun said, her voice choked with emotion. She glanced over at Palla-Palla. The teen was terrified, barely holding on. She looked like Jun suddenly felt. Then the door hissed open and Usa walked in.

"Usa?" Hotaru asked, concerned for her friend. "Did you find out what happened?"

"I'll tell you all later," Usa replied. She crossed over to Jun. "You OK?"

"I'm beginning to wonder," Jun murmured. "Princess, I didn't consciously revert back to the Circus days. But my mind is a total blank from when we were talking to the bar owner to now!"

"That fits with someone or something controlling you," Usa said, her belief in Jun stark and unwavering. "I'm sure that's what happened."

"I'm sure of it, too," Hotaru joined in. "And furthermore, I think it has some connection with that club. They both seemed to happen there."

"Then let's go tear that place apart and see what we find!" Ves exclaimed.

"Wrong," Usa shook her head. "First off, you or Palla-Palla can't ever go near the place. Not until we find out what's going on. You'd just be running the risk of being taken over like Cere and Jun were."

"So who says they won't take over either of you?" Ves demanded.

"She's right, Ves," Jun sighed. "Think about it. Hotaru was there when they got me. Why take me over when both Hotaru and the Princess are bigger guns? Unless whoever is doing this is specifically targeting us Asteroids."

"Good point," Usa said as Ves nodded thoughtfully. "Besides, your reps aren't too good right about now. The last thing you need is being seen tearing a club apart looking for some phantom enemy."

"So what do we do?" Palla-Palla asked timidly.

Usa scowled. She turned to Hotaru. "You have any ideas?"

"Yes," Hotaru nodded, deep in thought about the puzzle. "Let me look into it a little. I'm still convinced it has something to do with that club. And it can be investigated without physically being there." She turned back to Jun. "I'll let you all know what I find out. And Jun, I'm very sorry for what happened."

"I'm sure you did what you had to do," Jun told her. "And if I ever revert to my 'Circus days' again, please don't hesitate to do anything necessary to stop me."

* * *

In his office, Endymion was again informed by his computer of the incoming call waiting for him from Chief Nakamura's office. Knowing the peripheral details from Ami and his daughter as to what had happened, the call wasn't unexpected.

"Your Majesty," Chief Nakamura nodded stiffly, as he always did. "Are you aware of the incident involving the Princess's bodyguard, Jun-Jun?"

"Yes, Chief," Endymion replied, trying not to sound fatigued. The entire dilemma was beginning to wear on him.

"According to the report I received, the suspect was taken to the palace infirmary for medical treatment. Is she still there?"

"She is."

"Your Majesty, I recommend that she be put in holding when she's discharged from the infirmary," Nakamura strongly suggested.

"Chief, I don't consider her a danger, either of flight or of any further attack," Endymion countered.

"May I remind Your Majesty that she's already attacked one person and was ready to attack one of her own team."

"Chief," Endymion sighed in spite of his best efforts, "sufficient suspicion has been raised to believe that both Jun-Jun and Cere-Cere were not acting of their own free will in these incidents. They may have been controlled by an outside force."

"My people working on the case have looked into that," Nakamura said as diplomatically as he could manage. "There has been no substantial evidence beyond the testimony of the suspects of any outside agency enacting any physical, psychological or external coercion on them. But assuming they have been controlled somehow, that makes it even more imperative that they be confined - - just in case it happens again."

Endymion turned introspective, frowning the entire time.

"May I also remind Your Majesty of the record of the two suspects," Nakamura added, "both before AND after their 'reform'."

"I'm aware of their history, Chief," Endymion said curtly. "Perhaps you're not aware of all the good they've done in the past few years. Confinement might not be the best thing for either of them, or for their two step-sisters should it be determined that they're actually not responsible for these acts."

"Balance four against millions, Your Majesty," Nakamura mulishly contended. "You have my recommendations."

Endymion thought, frowning again. "They're confined to the palace," he said finally, "but not to a single room. I'll take responsibility for them not hurting anyone else."

"As you say, Your Majesty," Nakamura nodded and ended the call.

* * *

Michiru paused at the doorway to Hotaru's bedroom. Haruka had been lingering there for a while. She glanced at Haruka, then looked over to the object of Haruka's scrutiny. Sitting at her desk, hard at work on her computer, was Hotaru. The teen diligently worked the computer board, pausing every so often to post one of her findings to a PDA next to her terminal. If Hotaru sensed her two guardians hovering in the doorway, she didn't acknowledge it.

"Hotaru," Michiru spoke up. "Yutaka called. He was wondering if you were free tonight. Would you like to speak to him?"

Hotaru paused for a moment. Though torn, she quickly returned to her work.

"I can't, Michiru-Mama," she said softly. "Tell him - - tell him that The Princess needs me. He'll understand."

"Is everything all right between you two?"

"Yes," Hotaru replied. "I'm just involved in senshi business, and I can't get away."

Before departing, Michiru touched Haruka's arm. Haruka glanced at her, instantly grasped her meaning and nodded. Only then did Michiru move off.

"Anything I can help with, Firefly?" Haruka offered.

Hotaru paused. "Do you know anything about a club called Tanaka's Palace?"

"Over on Avenue D?" Haruka asked. Hotaru nodded. "I never been there. I know the area. The crowd's a little young for me - - and I never was much of a drinker or a socializer. Why?"

"Usa and I think there's something or someone in that club responsible for what happened with Cere and Jun. I asked King Endymion if there was anything disreputable about the owner or any of the staff, but he told me that CDP doesn't have any records of anything. Do you know how long it's been a club?"

"Sorry. Michiru and I haven't been planet-side very much the last few hundred years," Haruka grinned sheepishly. "What makes you think it's something with the location?"

"What else could it be?" Hotaru asked. "If it isn't someone in that club, it has to be something."

"You're sure it's not them?" Haruka asked. Hotaru turned and looked at her, aghast. "I know you want to believe in them, Firefly, but they've given into temptation once. For someone who's done that, it's that much easier to give in again."

"No, Papa," Hotaru shook her head. "You didn't see Jun. It was like she became a whole different person. It can't be something as simple as slipping back into old ways. I know it's the easiest thing to believe, but I'm sure it's not."

A smile began to sprout on Haruka's face. "OK, Firefly," she chuckled. "You convinced me. So if it isn't a who doing this, it's a what. What are your options?"

"Something chemical?" Hotaru guessed. "But what? And why did it only affect Jun and Cere?"

"What else?"

"A device of some kind that's controlling their minds?"

"That goes back to who and we've already decided that no one in the club is likely to have something like that," Haruka concluded. "And again, why only them?"

"We figure that who or whatever is doing this is specifically targeting the Asteroids."

"That brings us back to a 'who', doesn't it? Haruka suggested. "I thought you eliminated everyone associated with the club."

"I did," Hotaru reasoned, "unless there's something about one of them that I don't know."

"Could it possibly be anything else?"

"Well, the only other thing I can think of is something," and Hotaru hesitated at the thought, "supernatural."

Instantly Haruka turned introspective.

"Did you think of something?" Hotaru asked. By now, Michiru had rejoined them.

"It was centuries ago," Haruka puzzled. "Michiru, didn't that area that Tanaka's Palace is in now used to be housing?"

"Yes," Michiru answered, her brow knit. "Wasn't it apartments and residential homes until the twenty-fifth century?"

"Yeah, and didn't we get called out there once?" Haruka asked, grasping at memories that wouldn't all come.

"Yes," Michiru nodded. "It was a year or so after the Great Disaster. Some residents were complaining about a yurei."

"Really?" gasped Hotaru.

"It turned out to be nothing," Michiru continued. "Serenity took us all out there, but Rei couldn't find anything. Still, the stories persisted and eventually the housing unit went abandoned."

Instantly Hotaru bolted from her chair and ran for the door.

"Hotaru?" Michiru inquired after her.

"I have to talk to Hino-Sensei!" the teen called back as she raced out the door. "I may be late! Don't wait up!"

With a bemused look, Michiru turned to Haruka.

"Well, you heard her," Michiru said.

"Yeah, like that's going to stop me," Haruka volleyed back.

Continued in Chapter 8


	8. Yurei

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 8: "Yurei"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

"THIS BLOWS!"

The attending nursing staff turned and looked at Ves-Ves after her angry outburst. They found the teen sitting hunched and livid on a sofa outside of the infirmary room Jun-Jun was in. Palla-Palla sat next to her, waiting with poor patience. The staff sympathized with the little girl in the big girl's body - - Ves, not so much. And the question couldn't help but linger in the mind of the staff, concerning whether the senshi to the Princess were really reverting back to their old, lawless selves.

The source of the teen's frustration, the CDP guard stationed outside of Jun's room, glanced at her for a moment, almost as a challenge. Ves glared back. Then the officer received a message through his com-link and his attention was diverted. Ves stared at the floor.

"Palla-Palla hopes Jun-Jun gets better soon," the blue-haired girl offered forlornly.

"They'll just chuck her in jail when she's well," Ves scowled. "She's probably better off here."

"Ves-Ves, why would Jun-Jun be bad again? Palla-Palla doesn't understand."

"I don't know," sighed Ves. "Maybe Hotaru's right and somebody is making her do it. It's about the only thing that makes sense. Hell, we both know what a goody-goody Jun is. I'm more likely to backslide into the Circus days than she is." She glanced at the CDP officer again. "Not that anybody's going to give a damn. This just gives everybody an excuse to say 'I told you so' and boot us out the door."

"But if somebody made Jun-Jun and Cere-Cere be bad, it wouldn't be fair to throw us all out," Palla-Palla contended innocently.

"Since when has 'fair' ever mattered where we were concerned?"

"Palla-Palla doesn't think Queen Serenity will let it happen," Palla-Palla offered, hoping to encourage her sister. "Queen Serenity is very nice and she'll make them be fair."

"Maybe," Ves grumbled. "I wouldn't bet a week's pay on it, though." Ves glared at the CDP officer again. The more she stared, the angrier she got. "It's the same old story, Stupid. We can't depend on anybody but ourselves in this thing."

After a moment to silently egg herself on, Ves rose from the sofa and started off.

"Where are you going?" Palla-Palla asked anxiously.

"To find out who's doing this," Ves replied, turning back to Palla-Palla, "and to stop it. You stay here."

"Are you going to the club?" Palla-Palla asked. "The Princess said you shouldn't go to the club!"

"The Princess has her own problems," Ves snapped. "Nobody's going to bail us out of this but us! Now you stay here where it's safe. Keep an eye on Jun."

And off she went, quickly disappearing down the corridor. Palla-Palla fidgeted anxiously on the sofa. She wanted to accompany Ves-Ves, but Ves had told her to stay and Ves always knew best for her. However, the teen couldn't shake the premonition of danger she was having. Then she felt the cushion on the sofa next to her press in as someone sat down next to her.

"Cere-Cere!" Palla-Palla exclaimed happily and hugged the girl. "Palla-Palla thought you were in con. . . in conf. . .um, locked up."

"The King turned me loose," Cere smiled, though her eyes were misty. "I'm not allowed to leave the palace, but at least I'm not in that dreary room anymore. So what's up? They said Jun is in the infirmary."

Palla-Palla looked down. "Jun-Jun turned bad again," the teen said, tears welling. "Miss Saturn-ma'am had to hurt her to stop her."

"Wow, Jun?" Cere exclaimed softly. "What the Hell is going on?"

"Miss Saturn-ma'am thinks someone made you and Jun-Jun be bad. But they don't know who or how."

"That's probably why they let me out of confinement," Cere concluded. "Boy, it's a relief to know I'm not going nuts, at least." Suddenly Cere darkened with a realization. "Where's Ves?"

"Ves-Ves went out to find out who was making you and Jun-Jun be bad and stop them," Palla-Palla dutifully reported.

"Oh, NO!" gasped Cere. "Bet me she only makes it worse! We've got to stop her!"

Cere sprang off the sofa and over to a computer station. She placed a call to Usa. As the computer traced the whereabouts of the Princess in order to download the message, Cere turned back to Palla-Palla.

Palla-Palla was gone.

* * *

"You're certain of this theory?" Rei Hino asked.

She and Hotaru had a palace hover car out and were driving over to Tanaka's Palace. The priest had listened sympathetically when Hotaru came running into the palace shrine and breathlessly informed her of the girl's theory concerning the recent misadventures of the Asteroids. Though she was initially skeptical and remained so throughout Hotaru's entreaties, she still volunteered to accompany the teen to the club to investigate. After all, Rei didn't want to believe that Cere and Jun were reverting to their bad selves anymore than anyone else did.

But she wasn't too convinced that Hotaru had arrived at the truth.

"I think it's worth investigating, Hino-Sensei," Hotaru replied earnestly. Rei could read the desire in the girl to solve this mystery, mostly out of loyalty to her friends and to Usa. But she could also sense some of the guilt Hotaru still felt over being the one who pointed out Cere and who brought Jun under control.

"Well, I have to admit that yurei possession would explain the behavior of the Asteroids," Rei continued.

"Do you remember when you were there back in the twenty-first century?" Hotaru asked.

"Vaguely," Rei scowled. "The first few years after the Great Disaster wasn't a very good time for me, Hotaru. A lot of the things I remember from that period are usually bad memories. If you hadn't jogged my memory with Haruka's story, I might not remember it now."

"Did you find a yurei?"

"No," Rei said flatly. "I remember there was some faint spiritual residue in the dwelling. It was one of those ugly egg-shaped dwellings that Serenity had created as emergency housing. But there was nothing that suggested to me that a yurei was haunting the place and causing trouble for the inhabitants of the dwelling."

"But the stories kept going," Hotaru countered gently. "Eventually no one would live in the home anymore."

"Well there were a lot of superstitious people in Tokyo back then, particularly after the Great Disaster," Rei told her. "And once a story like that gets started, people are all too eager to believe that a yurei is responsible for every creak and bump in the place."

The hover car pulled up in front of the club. The club had just opened and the evening crowd was just starting to filter in. As Rei and Hotaru approached the front door, they and the greeter at the door heard a commotion coming from inside. Instantly the greeter headed inside, with Rei and Hotaru close behind him.

Inside, they found the man Hotaru recognized as the club owner in a heated argument with Ves-Ves, of all people. Rei could read the anger rising from both parties. She also read that Ves was about two seconds away from surrendering to her violent tendencies.

"Ves-Ves, stop!" Rei shouted as they ran toward her.

Ves turned at the sound and saw the three running toward her. The greeter moved to throw his arms around her torso and restrain her. Ves countered with a vicious thrust of her heel into the man's knee. That loosened his grip, allowing Ves to grab his arm and neatly hip toss the man to the floor. By that time, Rei and Hotaru had arrived and between the two of them managed to get the struggling teen pinned against the bar.

"VES-VES!" roared Rei. "STOP THIS!"

"But he . . .!" Ves began to protest.

"NOW!"

She wanted to rebel. Rei could have read that without her sight. She was a moment away from rebelling and throwing away everything she had worked for.

"Ves, please!" Hotaru appealed to her. "This isn't the way! Think of Palla-Palla!"

That got through. Though the girl still seethed with anger, her knotted muscles relaxed and she quit fighting. Confident that the crisis was over, Rei turned to the incensed club owner.

"I apologize for this, Sir," Rei told him and bowed to him.

"What's with these senshi?" Junichi Kobayashi loudly grumbled. "Every time one of them comes in the place, they flip out!"

"That's what we're investigating, Sir," Rei told him.

"He knows something!" Ves roared angrily.

"QUIET!" Rei snapped at Ves. She turned back to Kobayashi. "Unfortunately in her case, it seems to be genetic. But in the other cases, we think something may be adversely affecting the girls."

"Look, I told the CDP and the Princess everything I know," Kobayashi maintained. "I've got a business to run here and I don't need these disruptions!"

"I can clear this up in just a few moments, if you'll allow me," Rei told him. Reluctantly, Kobayashi consented. Rei immediately turned to everyone in the room. "Everyone! I need complete silence for the next minute. Please cooperate. This is under the authority of the Crystal Palace."

The few patrons who were there backed away as Rei stepped to the center of the room. As she stepped, Rei seemed to go into a trance. Upon reaching the center of the room, the priest brought her arms up so they were parallel to the floor, then bent her arms in so her hands were before her face. Her two index fingers steepled before her face. The priest took several long, slow, rhythmic breaths. Everyone stared at her. Their goose flesh began to rise when an unfelt breeze began to play with the priest's long black hair.

And just as suddenly as she started, she stopped. Rei turned and walked back to Hotaru and Ves.

"There's no yurei here, Hotaru," Rei told her. Hotaru sagged, crestfallen. "But one was here very recently."

"Really?" Hotaru gasped.

"There's no mistake," Rei replied.

"What the Hell's a 'yurei'?" Ves asked.

Rei searched her memory for a moment. "Someone schooled in the west would call them 'ghosts'."

"Ghosts!" Ves goggled. "You're saying Cere and Jun were possessed by a ghost?"

"I think it's very likely," Rei nodded.

"But," Hotaru began, "but why make them revert to their bad selves?"

"Assuming the yurei specifically singled them out," Rei cautioned. "We can't assume anything about its motives until we find it. That's the important concern."

"Hell, it could be anywhere!" Ves said.

"No," Rei shook her head. "A spirit bound to this spot, possibly for a thousand years or more, can't just up and leave unless the unfinished business binding it here is finished - - or it leaves through an earthly vessel."

"Can you track it?" Hotaru asked.

"No," Rei said. "Something is disguising its spiritual energy. It may have possessed someone. We need to get back to the palace and check for some sort of violent disturbance. Chances are our yurei is involved."

Hotaru headed back to the hover car. Ves started to follow, but Rei's hand on her shoulder stopped her short. She felt Rei lean in.

"I'll deal with you later," whispered the priest into Ves's ear. As Rei headed off, Ves considered just running into the approaching night and never coming back. But she knew she couldn't.

* * *

Brooding in her room about her misfortunes occupied most of the early evening for the Princess. Despite the efforts of her mother to lure her out, for Queen Serenity despised seeing her daughter sad and forlorn as much as she despised violence, hatred and math, Usa refused to be distracted. The problems of her friends and fellow senshi weighed heavily on the young Princess. But equal weight came in the form of her own inability to transform into Sailor Moon. Though she tried to shunt her own woes aside in order to concentrate on the problems of her friends, the specter of never again being Sailor Moon haunted the girl. The immediate concern was that without her Sailor Moon abilities she might not be able to aid Cere and Jun, might not be able to prevent this strange malady from affecting Ves or Palla-Palla, or even Hotaru. But there was more to it. She liked being Sailor Moon and, selfishly, wanted to continue and grow until she reached some semblance of the pinnacle her mother had reached. And now it may be out of her grasp forever.

A hand reached around from behind her and gently caressed her cheek. Mystified, for she had been laying on her back on her bed, Usa turned around and found Helios behind her, smiling and gazing at her with love. She looked around in confusion and found a veranda of green grass, trees and bushes, the bushes decorated with beautiful, fragrant flowers. She reclined atop a large stone and Helios sat beside her.

"Did I fall asleep?" Usa asked.

"You reside in a beautiful dream, Maiden," Helios replied, smirking impishly. "It would be my guess."

Rather than her playful ire, the dream guardian's teasing only brought a look of despair. Usa's eyes sought the ground.

"Maiden?" Helios inquired, his concern silently shouted to the hills and resonant through the picturesque scene. He calmed enough to drape his arm around her and bring her to him. "Tell me what troubles you. Has something dire occurred? It is the first chance I've had to contact you since hearing your greeting yesterday."

"Oh, Helios," Usa murmured. "Jun and Cere are being controlled by someone. They're being forced to revert to their old selves. I want to help them so bad, but," and her lip quivered for a moment as emotion robbed the Princess of her voice. "Helios, I-I can't transform anymore. I can't become Sailor Moon. How do I help them if I can't become Sailor Moon?"

"Much like your mother," Helios remarked. "Perhaps I may help."

Usa turned and looked to him hopefully.

"As happened long ago, I can grant you my energy for a period of time so that you may use it as Sailor Moon," Helios told her.

"You'd do that?" Usa asked him.

"For you?" he smiled, his pale features glowing with adoration. "I would give anything I possessed if it made you happy for a single moment."

Helios leaned in. At first Usa thought he was going to kiss her, but instead the dream lord touched his forehead to hers. Usa closed her eyes and felt - - something. But in moments, it was gone. Inquiringly, she opened her eyes and looked at Helios.

"I am sorry, Maiden," Helios said, confused himself and more than a little frustrated. "Your crystal - - it will not receive my gift. I do not understand. I had no trouble connecting with your mother."

Suddenly, desperately, Usa clutched Helios to her. Her face pressed into his shoulder, her fingers dug into his back and she gripped him tightly - - to keep from trembling. But just as suddenly a claxon surrounded them and Usa pulled back from him. She recognized the sound, but couldn't identify it.

"We must part now, my love," Helios said sadly. "I will see you again, and soon. And it will not be part of a dream."

Usa opened her eyes and found herself laying on her bed. The claxon was sounding from the environmental control computer. Pulling up to a sitting position, Usa looked at her monitor and found the palace was under a level 2 security alert.

"That's used during an attack!" the Princess thought as she bounded off the bed and raced out into the corridor.

Storming down the corridor, Usa hurried to the main gate. She flew past palace support staff, unmindful of their surprised looks and of their sympathetic reactions. Few things stayed secret in the palace for long and the staff had learned of her problems. That was beside the point right now. The need to help drove her on. Turning a corner, she met up with Cere and the pair continued on toward the gate. Though curious and anxious, Cere lagged behind. The girl was mindful that she couldn't venture outside the palace, and she could never run as fast as Usa anyway.

When they arrived at the gate, palace security was already there working the defense computers and massing to defend the palace against attack. Usa bi-passed them and went straight for the monitor hooked into the palace observation drones that circled the palace constantly.

"Oh, no!" gasped Usa.

As Cere moved to the monitor, Usa pushed away and bolted for the gate. She was intercepted by two guards, though, and kept from exiting into the courtyard.

"Let me go!" Usa howled. "I can reason with her! I can get her to stop!"

By now Cere had seen what Usa had seen: Sailor Pallas was using her telekinesis to savage the Queen's garden and pelt the palace with rocks and debris. Cere stared in shock and mounting dismay. She felt a coldness form in the pit of her stomach when she got a look at the expression on the face of Sailor Pallas and recognized the cruel, wanton child from the Circus days.

"Princess, you can't go out there!" cried the gate guard. "It's too dangerous!"

Hikaru Ishii had been a palace guard for twenty-three years and stationed at the main gate for twelve. He'd literally watched Princess Usagi grow up from a hopelessly inquisitive but charming tot to the willful but kind young woman before him. He knew he would lay down his life to protect the Royal Family just as much as he would if it were his own family threatened. So he held on, despite the best efforts of the Princess to escape him.

"Please, let me go!" wailed Usa as she struggled. "I can stop her!"

Cere ran up to them and was about to speak. Then everyone heard a child-like voice come over the monitor.

"Princess!" Sailor Pallas called mockingly from outside the palace. "Pallas wants you to come out and playyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"

Continued in Chapter 9


	9. Challenge Of A Princess

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 9: "Challenge of a Princess"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

"Let go!" Usa howled as the palace guards held her back. "I can reason with her! I can get her to stop!"

"Usa!" Cere appealed, grabbing onto her upper arm. "It's too dangerous for you! I know that look! If she's regressed to her Circus days, she'll kill you without a second thought!"

"But not at first!" Usa argued. "And while she's toying with me, I can try to reach her!"

"Princessssssssssssssssssss!" Pallas called out again. "Pallas is going to think you don't like her anymore! And then she'll get angry!"

"No, Princess," Ishii the gate guard stated flatly. "I can't let you go out there."

"It's all right," they all heard a kind voice say. Everyone turned and found Queen Serenity in the entry hall. "Let the Princess do what she feels she has to do."

"But Queen Serenity!" protested the guard captain.

"The Asteroid Senshi are her responsibility, Captain, as protection of the palace is yours," Serenity told him in a manner that normal humans had a hard time opposing. "If she feels she can end this peacefully, we must all have faith in her."

Reluctantly the guards let go of Usa. The teen nodded to her mother.

"Thanks, Mom," Usa said gratefully.

"Be careful, Honey," Serenity grimaced. The teen nodded and headed out the gate. Serenity watched her leave, barely acknowledging Cere's approach.

"Queen Serenity, I don't think this is a good idea," Cere advised. "Pallas can't be reasoned with in this state."

"I think you're wrong," Serenity replied. Then she weakened just a bit. "But - - perhaps you should transform into Sailor Ceres - - just in case."

Usa walked out the gate and instantly spotted Sailor Pallas. The senshi was standing amid debris from the wrecked garden. Pallas instantly flashed a smile, but it was a mirthless smile, the smile of a wicked child who has just gotten her way.

"Hi, Princess!" Pallas chortled. "Pallas has been waiting for you! Do you like her pretty picture?"

She gestured toward the palace wall and Usa turned to look. Flowers had been ground into the marble so that there were streaks of color smeared randomly. Some of the marble was pitted where rocks had impacted with it. Usa turned back to Pallas.

"I think it would have looked prettier on a digital tablet," Usa replied. Instantly Pallas scowled.

"Pallas didn't want to use a tablet," Pallas huffed. But seconds later she brightened up, the subject forgotten. "Pallas wants to play dollies. Would you like to play dollies with Pallas, Princess?"

"OK," Usa nodded carefully. "But I have a question first. Can you hear someone else's thoughts right now, Pallas?"

"No," Pallas replied petulantly. "Pallas wants to play dollies now!"

"Are you sure you don't hear anyone else?" Usa continued. "Because I think he's telling you to do things you don't want to do."

"There's no other voice!" snapped Pallas.

"Why are you doing this to her?" Usa persisted. "Can't you feel how much it's hurting her to be like this again? Can't you see she wants something better for her life? Leave her alone, please!"

"Fine, then Pallas will play dollies by herself!" Pallas fumed. She turned away petulantly.

"Tell me what you want! Tell me why you're doing this!" Usa pleaded, undeterred. "Maybe I can help you!"

Ignoring Usa, Pallas gestured toward the remainder of the garden. Then, suddenly, two men bounded out of the fading green. Usa recognized them as maintenance workers who worked the palace grounds. The two men moved haltingly, jerking around as if they were marionettes dancing on invisible strings. Then she realized the strings were telekinetic - - it was the new way Mars had shown her to use her telekinetic attack. Inside the palace, everyone watching on the monitors reacted with similar surprise and alarm.

"Pallas, let them go! It's not nice for you to do this to people!" Usa admonished.

Pallas gave her a wicked grin. "But that's not what they say." She turned back to the men.

"No, Princess," one of the workers was forced to say. "We - - love this."

"Pallas is," grunted the other, "just having - - fun."

"See?" Pallas asked. She turned to the men. "Dance!"

Immediately the two men began bounding around helplessly in a mockery of a dance. Usa watched in horror for a few moments, then grabbed Pallas by the arm.

"Please stop this!" Usa demanded. Pallas stared at her, her eyes taking on a blue hue. Then Usa shot backwards for forty feet, flung away from Pallas. The teen landed hard and lay stunned. Pallas glared at her for a moment. Then her mouth curled into a sadistic grin.

Inside, Ishii turned to the Queen and silently appealed to her. Serenity was visibly torn.

"No," she choked out. "We have to wait. We have to let the Princess try to succeed."

"Oh, does the Princess want to play, too?" Pallas chuckled.

Usa was jerked to her feet by invisible strings. The strings kept hold of her arms and legs, and she found herself hopping and bounding over to the captive workers. Her best efforts to resist were for nothing.

"Oh, kind sir," Usa said without meaning to, "I am a simple peasant girl and I have loved you from afar." She bowed to one of the workers, then cuddled up to him. "Please say you will be mine!"

"Fair maiden," the worker grunted out, seizing Usa roughly in his arms, "you have answered the longing in my heart! Oh happiest of days!" And he kissed Usa with a passion born of the twisted imagination and telekinetic power of Sailor Pallas. As Usa endured the kiss, she heard Pallas chuckling with glee behind her.

"Unhand my daughter, cur!" the other worker bellowed. He pulled the two apart and it was then that Usa saw he held a sword. "Soil my child with your worthless presence!"

"Father, no!" Usa was forced to cry out. "I love him!"

"Worthless girl!" he snarled. "I'll kill you both!" The sword came up menacingly for all to see.

"Oh my goodness!" Serenity gasped in the palace as everyone watched the monitor with alarm. She turned to go outside, but Sailor Ceres had beaten her out the gate.

"FLORAL STIMULATION!" Ceres yelled.

Instantly a plant sprang up at the feet of Sailor Pallas. It shot up with unnatural speed and jammed itself into the senshi's mouth before she could react. Pallas bit down reflexively, then recoiled. Usa and the two workers dropped to the ground, free of the telekinetic strings. Seeing Pallas turn back to Ceres, Usa geared up to move.

"You're mean!" Pallas bellowed at Ceres. "Pallas will show . . ." Suddenly the senshi's eyelids began to droop. Her posture began to wobble and she staggered back a step to brace herself. "Pallazz . . . will show . . . make you . . ." The senshi teetered on the brink of consciousness for a few more moments, then sank in a heap and sprawled on the ground, unconscious. Usa and Ceres ran up to her.

"Sorry, Pallas," Ceres whispered, caressing the girl's cheek tenderly.

"What was that plant?" Usa asked.

"Henbane," Ceres responded. "In the right dose, it's a pretty quick acting anesthetic. I hope I didn't give her too much."

"Thanks," Usa grinned. Ceres nodded shyly.

"Let's get her up to the infirmary," Ceres suggested. Between them, the two girls propped Pallas up and carried her into the palace. On the way in, Ceres glanced furtively at the remains of the garden. When she spotted the tree Gallan hibernated in was still intact, she allowed her concerns to return to Pallas.

"Hey!" Ceres said suddenly. "I'm not supposed to be out of the palace!"

"I don't think Pop will say anything," Usa grinned.

* * *

Hotaru said good-bye to Rei and headed down the corridor toward the infirmary. Ves had run on ahead the moment she'd heard about the confrontation between Pallas and the Princess. Rei chose instead to confer with Ami, Makoto and Minako and pool their knowledge. She wished the girl luck and offered her prayers for Palla-Palla.

Emerging from the entrance into the infirmary, Hotaru found Usa sitting on a sofa by the room assigned to Palla-Palla. She approached and Usa only noticed her when she was right next to her friend.

"How's Palla-Palla doing?" Hotaru ventured cautiously.

"She's still asleep," Usa replied. "That henbane that Ceres gave her was pretty strong. Ves and them are in with her now."

Hotaru sat down next to her friend. "Did the yurei possess her and turn her evil?"

"Is that what it was?" Usa mumbled. "We haven't had a chance to find out yet. I tried to find out, but - - well . . ." Usa's words trailed off into a silent cauldron of shame and frustration.

"Usa?" Hotaru inquired, noticing immediately.

"I was so useless, Hotaru," Usa scowled. "She played with me like I was a marionette and I couldn't do anything! I couldn't even talk her down! I would have done more good if I hadn't even been there!"

"Usa, you can only try your best," Hotaru told her. "No one succeeds every time."

"What good am I, Hotaru? Even when Mom had her powers shut down on her, she could charm her way along. I remember what she was like back then. Most people didn't stand a chance against her. And it's the same today." Usa's gaze lowered to the floor. "I can't do that. I'm not her."

"No, you're not her," Hotaru sighed, because this was a familiar refrain from her friend. "But you're a lot better at it than you give yourself credit for." Usa didn't respond and it distressed Hotaru. "I know this is tough for you, but we still need you to lead us - - whether as Sailor Moon or as Princess Usagi. And if you ask all the Asteroids, I know they'll tell you that they have faith in you. You know how I feel."

"Yeah, I know how you feel," Usa mumbled. "I just can't help thinking that you've all put your faith in the wrong person."

Cere stuck her head out the door. "Hey, you two," she said. "Palla-Palla's coming around." Usa nodded and, together with Hotaru, went in.

Ves and Jun hovered at her side while Palla-Palla took a few moments to recognize her surroundings. When she grew acclimated, a wave of sorrow washed over the blue-haired teen.

"Palla-Palla was bad again, wasn't she?" Palla-Palla asked, her voice thick with emotion.

"I thought I told you to stay here?" Ves fumed, though those close to her could see the fear still in her eyes.

"But Cere-Cere was afraid you would make things worse," Palla-Palla responded timidly. "She was scared that someone would make you do bad. Palla-Palla had to warn you before the someone made you do bad and got you punished for it."

Cere and Jun glared with condemnation at Ves. She scarcely noticed it.

"Good one, Ves!" Cere snapped. "If you hadn't been all 'nuke first and ask questions later' like you always are, Palla-Palla wouldn't have gone after you and put herself at risk!"

Ves just sat, stunned into silence.

"Ves, what happened to Palla-Palla is exactly why we were told to stay away from that club!" Jun fumed. "Will you ever for once in your life think!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ves roared like a wounded animal. Tears trickled down her distorted cheeks. "I SCREWED UP, OK? VAPORIZE ME!"

"All right," Usa interjected, her voice soft but commanding. "It's done. Everybody learn from it. Besides, there's more important things to worry about than blame."

Cere and Jun backed down reluctantly. Ves, though, reached out and seized Palla-Palla's hand in hers. Her head was down and her shoulders bent.

"I'M," Ves choked out before her voice seized up. The girl struggled for several moments silently. "I'm . . . sorry."

Palla-Palla covered the hands with her free one. She looked over to the bowed Ves with a smile of innocence.

"Palla-Palla knows," was her response.

"So, Palla-Palla," Hotaru asked cautiously. "Could you tell what was controlling you?"

Palla-Palla clouded over. Her innocent smile disappeared.

"It was a man," Palla-Palla murmured. "Only he wasn't a man anymore. He doesn't eat or sleep or breathe."

"A yurei," Hotaru concluded.

"Um, Palla-Palla," Usa began hesitantly, "when the yurei had you, do you remember anything?"

"Yes," she squeaked. "Palla-Palla heard some of the ghosty's thoughts before she went beddie-bye. They were very angry and mean. The ghosty hates Palla-Palla - - and her sisters, too."

"Did you sense why?" Jun asked.

"No," Palla-Palla said, the trauma of the memory fresh in her. "Just that he hates us very much. He was very mean and scary."

"Why hate us?" Ves asked, her voice still thick with emotion. "What did we ever do to him?"

"With our past?" Cere ventured.

"But that was a thousand years ago!" Ves protested. "We've tried to go straight! We haven't done anything in this century!"

"There's one way to find out for sure," Hotaru suggested. "Usa and I can go back to the club with Hino-Sensei and try to capture it."

"Why the club? What's so special about that club?" Cere asked.

"I don't know, yet," Hotaru replied. "But the spirit seems to be bound to that spot. It's the most likely place to find it." She rose to leave and Usa reluctantly followed.

"Hey!" Jun called after them. They turned to her. "Good luck. If there's anything we can do to help, let us know."

"Maybe there is," Hotaru nodded. "Keep digging into the records and history of that location. Maybe I didn't go back far enough."

Outside the room, Usa stopped Hotaru.

"Are you sure you want me along?" Usa asked.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Hotaru said. "But I'd like you to be there."

The Princess felt her melancholy fade just a little. "OK," she replied. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

"This is ridiculous!" roared Kobayashi. Rei calmly stood and took the man's wrath. Usa and Hotaru lingered behind her, sorry for the news they bore and for the reaction they'd provoked. Minako Aino, who had joined the foray at the behest of Queen Serenity, used the moment to survey the room. She was looking for anything that struck her as out of the ordinary. And if she spotted a cute guy, so much the better.

"I apologize for this, Kobayashi-San, but this has become a clear and present danger to the general public," Rei told him. "We have to do this. If there was a way to wait until after your business hours, we would. But this is just too dangerous."

"You're telling me that a-a yurei has been haunting my club for years now?" Kobayashi demanded. "You do realize that this is the thirtieth century, don't you Sensei?"

"Why yes, I do. Thank you," Rei bristled. Minako instantly noticed the warning signs and slid in between the priest and the club owner.

"Look, we all understand where you're coming from," Minako said, using her most charming manner. "But this has to be done now. Now you can fight us on this and we can do the job right in front of all these clubbers. Then by this time tomorrow the word will have gotten out that the place is haunted and nobody but goths and thrill-seekers will show up. Or," and Minako tilted her head in just such a manner that the light caught her eyes and made them twinkle, "you can say you have software difficulties, close down for the night and we're in and out. The palace will even compensate you for lost revenue. That sound like a plan?"

Kobayashi sighed and Minako knew she had him hooked. Inhaling so that her chest thrust out, she peered up hopefully at him.

"All right," Kobayashi relented. "If this will be the LAST time you people come here. Just try not to break anything."

The club owner walked away to inform his staff. Minako turned triumphantly to Rei, who was staring with sour incredulity at her.

"Negotiation is an art," Minako preened, "Sensei. And sometimes big blue eyes and a low cut bodice will get you quicker results than righteous indignation will."

"And Serenity actually trusts you to be a teacher to these girls," Rei scowled. Hotaru and Usa giggled to each other in the background.

Once the club was cleared, Rei walked to the center of the room. Minako and Hotaru transformed into their senshi forms while Usa warily watched the room. The staff who remained watched from afar with a mixture of confusion and anxiety.

"Unnamed Yurei!" Rei announced forcefully. "Hear me! I summon you! Come before me!"

Sensing the temperature of the room drop suddenly, Usa looked around. She couldn't see anything, but something suddenly didn't feel right. She glanced at Sailor Saturn and noticed her friend felt the same way.

"All right. We'll do it the hard way," Rei muttered. She extended her hands before her. Nimbly the priest began to run through a series of hand gestures as she spoke the sacred sutra, "rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen." Then, dramatically, her hand arced down and her index finger touched the floor as she crouched. Rising back to her feet, Rei calmly slipped her hands back into her sleeves, her arms folded across her stomach, as everyone in the room gaped.

For on the spot she had touched, the ghostly form of a man began to appear.

Continued in Chapter 10


	10. Haunted

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 10: "Haunted"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

In the infirmary room where Palla-Palla was recovering, the scene was one of solemn quiet. Palla-Palla lay on her bed bobbing in a churning sea of emotions. She felt guilt for the trouble she'd caused in her Sailor Pallas guise, trouble she didn't remember doing, trouble she only learned about second hand. There was fear as well, fear that it could happen again to her or to any of them, Ves-Ves particularly. She could sense that it was a fear shared by her three adoptive sisters and the fear hung like a cloud over the room.

Jun-Jun worked on a computer station in the room. She did her duty because it was necessary, but also because it allowed her to keep from brooding over what had happened. She'd noticed that the suspicious looks from others had returned, looks that had died away. So she worked on her research, because the sooner this was solved, the sooner things might - - might - - go back to normal.

Cere-Cere had endured this the longest, so she was beyond it all by now. Her deepest longing was for it all to just end. Glancing over, she saw Ves-Ves still staring out the window, arms folded over her chest. The girl had been like that for much of an hour. Well, that needed to end, too, so Cere ambled over.

"They'll fix it," Cere offered as Ves continued to stare.

"How do you know?" Ves grunted.

"Faith? Naivete? Take your pick. They'll fix it because the alternative reeks."

"So they fix it," Ves replied. "Think that's going to matter to anyone?"

"It has to," Cere argued.

"He says you're wrong," Ves nodded to the CDP officer standing at the door of the room. He had appeared at the behest of Chief Nakamura, over Ami's protests, as a compromise for keeping Palla-Palla from arrest. The palace was abuzz with the growing friction between the Royal Family and the CDP and more than one of the staff blamed the Asteroids.

"You only say that because you don't trust anyone," Jun spoke up as she typed.

"Hell, we may as well move back to Brasilia after this is done," Ves grumbled. "We're cooked here. Nobody's going to believe us. And even if they find this yurei thing, folks are still going to blame us."

"So why is Brasilia better?" Cere asked.

"They speak our language," Ves pointed out. "The customs are familiar. The food is familiar. I don't have to pretend to be somebody I'm not." Ves scowled at the window. "And they never heard of The Dead Moon Circus there."

"Yeah, in Brasilia you're just one more street orphan hustler and people put their hand over their wallet whenever they see you. That's soooooo much better," Cere scowled.

"Well, there's other places in the world!" Ves snapped. "It's a cinch we're not going to get a fair shake here anymore! And for what? We didn't even do anything!"

"But Palla-Palla likes it here," Palla-Palla spoke up timidly. "Palla-Palla has friends here, and a nice place to stay. And-and she likes Queen Serenity. Palla-Palla doesn't want to leave."

"Neither do I," Cere said. "I like it here, too. Brasilia is always going to be a part of me, but anyone with a brain can see that Crystal Tokyo beats Sao Paulo in almost every way. And it's probably that way for anyplace you can name." Cere turned and walked back to the other side of the room. "If you want to give all this up, fine. You'll just be proving my point that you're too stupid and stubborn to see when you've got it good."

"How about everybody stop expecting the worst and just let The Princess and the Elders handle this," Jun suggested. "Trust the King and Queen to have our . . ."

Everybody noticed Jun stop in mid-sentence and looked over. Even the CDP officer looked her way.

"Jun?" Cere inquired, walking over to where Jun worked. "Did you find something?"

"Yeah," Jun murmured. "Read this, you guys."

* * *

The ghostly apparition stood on the spot Rei had designated. It seemed to be made of smoke. From the waist up, the yurei resembled a Japanese man around fifty. He had thick-rimmed glasses, a stern face and was balding. From the waist down there was nothing but a swirling tail of smoke and ashen gray vapor. What startled everyone was the expression on his face. It was sullen, hardened with a searing hatred that seemed to penetrate everyone to their core. There was little doubt what bound this spirit to Earth.

"Wow," Venus murmured. "She always could put on a show."

"What was your name in life, spirit?" Rei asked him.

"Hiboshi Ishikawa," the spirit replied. The name meant nothing to anyone, but everyone in the room suddenly got a sense of danger. The yurei's manner was almost contemptuous of Rei rather than forced or strained.

"Why do you remain?" Rei asked him. "What binds you here?"

"I seek revenge," the yurei said. Its reply was straight forward and cold, the passion of the emotions hardened into an icy hatred.

"Against the Asteroids?"

"If that is their name in this time," it responded with a rough voice. "I seek revenge against the four villainous girls who called themselves The Amazoness Quartet."

"Why?" Rei inquired. "How did they wrong you?"

It didn't seem possible for the spirit's mouth to harden any more, but it did. The spirit's eyes seemed to smolder.

"They killed," he choked out, for even now it was difficult for him, "my son."

* * *

"Hataro Ishikawa," Jun read from the ancient news story accessed on her computer station, "fifteen, leaped from the roof of his middle school to his death January 22, 1995. According to his parents, he had been undergoing emotional problems ever since being a victim of the supernatural entities known as The Amazoness Quartet which has been plaguing Tokyo for months." Jun swallowed. "The address they give for his home is the location of the club over on Avenue D. There's a picture of him, too."

"I don't recognize him," Cere commented, leaning over Jun's shoulder. "But then, I don't remember what most of my victims looked like. They were just people with mirrors. I never bothered to get to know them."

"I do," Jun said, staring at the screen. "I remember he had a Vespa. That's what first drew me to him. He was heading to his Vespa after baseball practice. He was pretty good. And I thought he was kind of cute. I thought he was the type who would probably ditch the scooter in a few years and buy a full-size Yamaha. Real confident, athletic type, you know?"

"Jun?" Cere inquired, while Ves and Palla-Palla watched her, feeling the hair on the back of their necks rise up.

"And Zirconia was really pressing us to find the mirror Helios was in, remember?" Jun continued. "She was really coming down on us. So I figured that this guy might be the one. So I walked up to him, and," and Jun's voice wavered for a moment. "And I started coming on to him. And when his guard was down, I produced my pool cue and popped his mirror out."

"Jun," Cere tried to say in consolation.

"Boy, was I wrong about him," Jun said, voice cracking. "His whole life was just an empty facade. He had no beautiful dream. He was just going through life, with no ambition, no dream, nothing in his future. He was just existing, riding the tide and living vicariously through his friends and their hopes and dreams. His mirror was completely lifeless. It really disgusted me. I thought he was such a chump."

Jun expelled a shuddering breath.

"And I called up a Lemure," Jun related in a tiny, horrified voice, tears rolling down her cheeks. "And I laughed while it ate his mirror."

"Jun, we were different people back then," Ves told her. "You can't hold yourself responsible for this."

"Why not?" Jun asked. "If I hadn't gone sticking my nose into his life, he might have lived."

"It wasn't your fault!" Ves maintained.

"Then whose fault is it?" Jun turned to her. "Neherenia's? Zirconia's? They just pulled the trigger. We were the bullets, Ves. Or maybe it's the fault of that poor teenager who had his dream, no matter how dull and meager it was, stolen from him. Who couldn't handle having his deepest, darkest secret ripped out of him and flung back into his face? Could you handle something like that?"

"Yeah," Ves scowled, thinking back on her psychiatric sessions with Ami. "And he should have, too. His being weak doesn't make you any more guilty."

"It doesn't make me any less, either," Jun replied. "And how many others died because of what we did? How many others died because we stole their dream and fed it to one of our Lemures? Do any of us know? And what if this whole yurei thing is related to this? That's why it would have it in for us?"

"That was a thousand years ago!" snapped Ves.

"Hate can last a thousand years," Cere said, "if you give it enough reason."

* * *

"He was a wonderful boy," the spirit of Hiboshi Ishikawa said.

He'd told them everything: about the attack by Jun-Jun, of his son's depression, how he quit the baseball team and withdrew from his friends. He told them about how he'd helplessly watched the boy wither and withdraw from everything.

"That day he went to school," the yurei continued. "He seemed better. He seemed like he had regained purpose in his life. He seemed like a burden had been lifted." Anguish spread over the yurei's face like a veil. "And then the police told me he'd killed himself - - jumped off of the roof of his middle school."

Everyone still in the club stared silently, either at him or at the floor. Sorrow and pity blanketed the room.

"My life ended that day," the yurei said. "It just took my body a while to catch up to my spirit. My wife left. She grieved for our son and had no desire to watch me follow him to the grave. I gave up. I had nothing left."

"I grieve for you, spirit," Rei said gently. "You have suffered much. My advice is to pass on to your rest. No one deserves peace more than you."

"I cannot pass on," the yurei stated flatly.

"Why? Nothing is left here to bind you."

"There is one thing holding me. Revenge. Revenge against those witches who drove my son to his death."

"That won't free you," Rei advised him. "That will only bind you more securely to this world, spirit. It will blacken your soul and turn you into a monster. Believe me when I tell you this!"

"You will not turn me, Sensei," the yurei rumbled. "My son will be avenged."

"I can't let you do this," Rei said, "to yourself or to them." Rei produced a haraikushi and held it before her, pointed at the yurei. "Gods of Heaven, Gods of Earth . . ."

"NO!" roared the yurei and Rei seemed to be hit with a gale force wind. "YOU WILL NOT BANISH ME BEFORE I HAVE HAD MY REVENGE!"

Venus and Saturn crouched, ready to act. However, they didn't really know how to act. Usa looked on anxiously. Rei had braced herself and now the contest was a battle of spiritual energy versus spiritual energy. Light seemed to flicker around them both as Rei and the yurei clashed in the center of the room. For long moments neither side seemed to gain advantage.

Then Usa noticed Rei begin to grimace. The hands gripping the haraikushi started to quiver. And without warning, Rei was suddenly hurled backward. Venus moved in quickly and caught the priest. Rei stared at the spirit, stunned by its power.

"You could not stop me a thousand years ago, priest," the yurei proclaimed. "And my hatred has had a thousand years to ferment and grow strong."

The yurei turned its back to her and thrust its arms into the air. "Bring me the four who murdered my son!" it bellowed and the foundation of the club quivered. "Bring them to me or you will all know no peace!"

With that, a howling wind swirled through the club. Chairs and tables smashed against the walls. Glass was swept from the bar and shattered. And still the winds grew stronger.

"Silence Wall!" Saturn called out. Her protective force field encompassed everyone near her.

And still the winds grew stronger. They swirled until everyone left in the club not protected by Saturn's shield was picked up. Panicked screams echoed in the club as people were blown out the door and into the street. Saturn strained to maintain her shield against the massive air pressure. But it proved too much for her. The senshi were also swept away and into the street like so much debris. Usa skidded to a stop in the street and turned back to the club.

"Bring them to me," a sepulchral voice echoed from inside the club. Then the door slammed shut.

* * *

Trudging back into the palace, Princess Usagi and the three senshi with her mirrored the despair each one felt.

"If only I'd neutralized him back in 2016," Rei fumed. "None of this would have happened!"

"Hey, cut yourself a break, huh?" Minako advised, massaging the priest's shoulders. "Nobody wins them all."

"It's inexcusable!" Rei shot back. "There's no way this yurei could have been that powerful a thousand years ago! I just wasn't concentrating!"

"Aunt Rei?" Usa said. She was both concerned for her and amazed that Rei Hino could have let a simple spirit get by her mighty powers. Amazed and perhaps just a little disappointed.

"There's no excuse," Rei turned away.

"I've got one," Minako interjected. "She was still messed up psychologically from being held prisoner for two years."

"IT'S NO EXCUSE!" Rei snapped.

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that," Minako rolled her eyes.

"You were a prisoner?" gaped Hotaru. "For two years?"

Rei scowled and looked down. Minako wanted to speak, but deferred to Rei.

"Go ahead and tell them," Rei whispered. "You'll probably bust if you don't."

"During the Great Disaster," Minako began, "we all got frozen into senshi-pops by those ice giants. But they captured Rei and dragged her off to their dimension. She spent two years in some smelly dungeon, a prisoner of the guys who controlled the ice giants, thinking she was the only survivor of Earth. Then she spent another two years an emotional cripple because she was too stubborn to get some help for it." Minako glanced Rei's way, expecting a challenge. "Messed up her psychic sight. Finally Makoto and me sat on her and let Serenity work on her." Minako glanced at Rei again, with an impish smirk. "And she didn't even say 'thank you'."

"I didn't put a curse on you, did I?" Rei replied. "Bottom line, we're where we are now because I dropped the ball a thousand years ago."

"You did your best, Aunt Rei," Usa contended. "Aunt Minako's right, you can't succeed every time. You weren't at your best. You've got to give yourself a break for that."

A melancholy smile grew on the priest's face. She reached up and cupped her hand behind Usa's.

"Thank you, Muffin," Rei beamed.

Just then, the Asteroids ran up. Jun was in the lead. Each one, though, seemed nervous and desperate.

"What happened at the club, Sensei?" Jun asked anxiously.

"It was a yurei," Rei told them. "I confronted it. It has been specifically targeting you four and we found out why."

"His name wasn't Ishikawa, was it?" Jun asked.

"How did you know that?" Rei asked with alarm.

But all Jun did was begin to cry. She sank to the ground limply, covering her face, as the other Asteroids crowded around to support her. Usa and Hotaru leaned in, too. Even Rei and Minako were stunned and concerned by her reaction.

"Jun?" Minako prodded. "Kid, what is it?"

"I killed his son!" Jun wailed piteously. "I drove him to his death!"

"Aunt Rei?" Usa pleaded, turning to Rei and Minako. Rei leaned in and helped Jun to her feet with the assistance of Ves and Cere.

"Take her to the shrine," Rei told Ves and Cere. To Jun, she said as she stroked the girl's temple, "Jun, we need to talk about this. Do you feel up to that?"

Jun nodded as she cried. The three people supporting her led Jun off, while Palla-Palla followed behind, stricken and saddened. Minako, Usa and Hotaro watched as they walked off.

"Poor kid," Minako mumbled.

"What happened?" they heard Serenity inquire and found her coming down the corridor. "I felt such a burst of emotional distress just now."

"We got the lowdown on the yurei," Minako said. "It wasn't good news, especially for Jun."

"I should go to her," Serenity proclaimed, but Minako stopped her.

"Rei's got it handled," Minako told her, then nodded toward Usa. Thankfully Serenity took the hint.

"Did you come through this all right, Usa?" Serenity asked. Her daughter shrugged.

"I'm all right," she said. "I'm going to go visit Jun."

"Just a moment," Serenity said, her hand resting on her daughter's arm. "You can look in on Jun later. I think she needs to be with Rei right now. And I need to hear about what happened."

"Can't Aunt Minako tell you?" Usa protested.

"I'd rather hear it from you," Serenity said. She took her daughter's hand and gently, but firmly led her off.

Enduring her mother's whim with stoic disdain, Usa allowed herself to be led to the Royal Receiving Room. It was an odd choice, but then her mother had made a lifetime of odd choices. Serenity led her into the room, then released her hand.

"Usa, dear," she smiled, gesturing behind the teen with her hand, "you have a guest."

Usa turned - - and found Helios standing behind her.

Continued in Chapter 11


	11. Gathering Storm

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 11: "Gathering Storm"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Normally she would have run over to Helios and leaped into his arms. Not this time. This time Usa quietly walked over to the Guardian of Beautiful Dreams and seemed to melt into his arms. She molded her body to his, as she was now an inch taller than he was, closed her eyes and hung on tight for a few moments. Startled and disturbed by her manner, Helios folded his arms around her and supported her. Sensing her daughter's mood, Queen Serenity bit her lip and then backed silently out of the room.

"Thank you for being true to your word, Helios," Usa murmured as she continued to cling to him.

"I swore to aid you, Maiden," Helios told her as he stroked the back of her head. "Has your problem worsened or does it merely persist? Or has a new trouble cast its shadow upon you?"

"Oh, Helios, it's like the whole world is crashing down! There's a yurei trying to destroy the Asteroids because Jun drove his son to suicide a thousand years ago. Even Aunt Rei couldn't do anything! And naturally I was useless. Oh, why did this have to happen now!" She clutched tighter to his wiry frame. "I don't suppose you can help me now?"

"Alas, Maiden, I sense your crystal is still closed off from me," Helios said. "Perhaps it is another who may restore your crystal's energy."

"But who? Who else am I this close to? Why wouldn't it be you? We're destined to be together," and Usa suddenly looked at him anxiously, "aren't we?"

"If we are not, I shall make it so," Helios reassured her. "But perhaps the one who may restore your crystal's energy is close to you in another way? Or perhaps," and Helios hesitated, gathering his strength, "perhaps what is needed still lies within you."

"Maybe it's a sign," Usa sighed in frustration, leaning her head against the shoulder of her love. "Maybe the universe is telling me to move to Elysian and have twenty babies."

"I doubt that, Maiden," Helios smiled, rubbing her back with his hand. "Although I admit that the thought is tempting." He noticed a small smile sprout on her mouth, in spite of her mood. "Come, Maiden. Let us see what can be done for your friends, since nothing at the moment can be done for you."

* * *

"Now you understand, don't you, what I told you?" Rei Hino said to Jun as she led the girl to the door of the shrine Rei maintained in the palace.

Jun nodded glumly.

"From a karmic viewpoint, you are guilty and you need to atone," Rei continued, praying she was reaching the girl. "And that's just what you're doing as a senshi. But this yurei has no karmic claim on you. It's trying to usurp what belongs to the gods and place it in lesser hands. He has no claim over you. His hatred is evolving him into a demon and it has nothing to do with you girls. Now we'll deal with him."

Jun nodded again. Rei stopped her, turned her and looked right into her eyes.

"What you did was wrong," Rei advised her. "But it was in a time of ignorance. You're no longer that ignorant little girl. You've realized your evil ways and put them aside. You seek to do penance now. And you need to concentrate on that instead of flaying yourself for something you can't undo. Atonement, not self-punishment. OK?"

Jun nodded and Rei let her walk off. They found Makoto standing outside the shrine. Jun walked past her and solemnly acknowledged the woman. Makoto watched her walk down the hall and then moved to Rei.

"Think you got through?" Makoto asked.

"Who knows?" Rei sighed. "I read so much guilt in that girl that I'm not certain she was listening. She heard me, but I'm not sure she listened."

"I'll look in on her a little later," Makoto offered. "Sometimes 'old grandma Makoto' knows how to get through to them. Maybe I'll bring cookies, too."

"Meanwhile, we've got more important things to worry about," Rei told her. "That yurei isn't going to go away until he destroys those girls. It's got to be taken out, and I can't do it alone."

"Need my help?"

"Actually, I was going to bring Serenity in on this one, but you and the others probably should be there to guard her back if nothing else."

"Just let me know when and where, Rei," Makoto replied. She and Rei touched the knuckles of their right fists with each other. The two nodded to each other, then went their separate ways, on their separate missions.

* * *

Queen Serenity and the four legendary senshi sped toward the west side entertainment district in a hover car. The low whine of the turbine engines and the hiss of the compressed air the vehicle rode on barely disturbed anyone.

"I'm sorry we had to drag you out here, Serenity," Rei said from the back seat. She bracketed Serenity with Mercury, while Jupiter drove and Venus rode shotgun.

"If there's anything I can do to end this, I'm perfectly willing," Serenity answered. "No apologies are necessary."

"Well we wouldn't even be in this mess if I'd been concentrating a thousand years ago," Rei fussed.

"No apologies are necessary there, either," Serenity replied. "You had your own problems to deal with back then. You're the only one who expects you to be perfect, Rei."

"Yeah, lighten up on yourself," Venus added. "Those days just after the disaster were Hell on everybody. And we hadn't done two years in solitary. That earns you some slack."

"We'll see if Jun and the others feel that way," Rei frowned.

"Is she really as bad off as Mako-chan said?" Serenity asked. Both Rei and Jupiter nodded. "Maybe I can help her with that, if it comes to it."

"And I can always try, as well," Mercury offered. "I'm making solid progress with Hotaru. Adding Jun to my caseload shouldn't be a problem."

"Yeah, who needs that two hours of sleep," quipped Jupiter. Everybody chuckled at Mercury's expense. But Serenity quickly grew morose and introspective again.

"What is it, Hon'?" Jupiter asked. "We'll get this spirit."

"I hope so," Serenity sighed. "Not just for poor Jun's sake. But Usa is taking this so hard, too. She feels responsible for the Asteroids and she's so hurt and frustrated that she can't do anything to protect them. Even Helios being here hasn't cheered her up."

"Yeah, I feel for the kid," Venus said. "Her lifelong dream has been becoming another you. If she can't become Sailor Moon anymore, that's going to be a real blow."

"I was certain that being near Helios would be enough to energize her crystal," Serenity grimaced. "Maybe I can help her - - if she'd let me."

"Have you offered?" Venus asked.

"I don't know how she'd take it. You know how teenagers are. They have to be SO independent. The only way she'll let me help is if it's her idea. Otherwise I'm just 'meddling'."

"How can you live with someone for seventeen years and still not understand them?" Rei questioned. "Ask her. Right now she'd take help from anyone."

"I don't want to insult her," Serenity replied. "I seem to do it so easily anymore."

"Well, if you ASK and don't TELL her," Rei countered, "maybe she'll accept. Usa is a smart girl and she adores you. Maybe if you'd stop trying to smother her with love and got to know her, you'd find that out."

"How am I smothering her?" Serenity fumed.

"You're you. How else?" Rei shot back.

"She's got a point, Hon'," Jupiter told Serenity. "I might not have been that blunt . . ."

"A particle beam wouldn't have been that blunt," Venus interjected wryly.

"But take it from the only other person in this vehicle who HAS raised kids," Jupiter continued. "Loving them isn't enough. You have to listen, too. You don't always have to agree with them, but you have to listen to them. And you have to treat them like they're capable of thinking for themselves. It isn't like it was when they were newborns. Sometimes I think realizing that is one of the hardest things there is to being a parent." Jupiter glanced ahead. "OK, we're here."

The facade was dark in front of Tanaka's Palace. It was early morning and the entire entertainment district was dark. Here and there people were arriving to begin opening the businesses that did service the morning crowd. There was just the merest hint of the morning light in the sky and everything was quiet. The senshi eased out of the hover car and looked around while Rei stayed with Serenity. When they were satisfied that no threat existed, Rei and Serenity emerged from the car.

"Doesn't look like anybody's home," Jupiter judged.

"Well, it is after closing time," Venus pointed out.

"You'd know more about that than I would, Blondie," smirked Jupiter. "You were the bar hopper, not me."

Venus eyed Jupiter cynically, then turned to the others. "Remind me to tell you about the time she and I went guy trolling in Odaiba . . ."

"Don't believe a lying word that comes out of this woman's mouth," Jupiter interrupted. Everyone chuckled again.

Since nobody else would, Jupiter walked up and pushed the computer signal button. A small screen activated.

"Kobayashi-San is not seeing anyone," announced the computer. "Please state your business and an ethernet station where he may reach you."

"Automatic signal," Jupiter commented. "Maybe he's asleep and put it on 'Do Not Disturb' mode."

"I don't think anyone's here," Serenity said. "I don't sense anyone inside."

"I'd really like to get this dealt with," Rei fretted. "The longer this goes, the more at risk everyone is. I'm not sure we can wait for Kobayashi-San to come back."

"So," Venus turned to the others, "up for a tiny little bit of breaking and entering?"

Serenity sighed. "Take my hands."

Rei and Venus clasped Serenity's hands, then clasped hands with Jupiter and Mercury. Using her Silver Crystal, Serenity passed them all through the walls and into the darkened club.

Once inside, Rei stepped several paces forward. The others looked around, expecting something to jump out at them at any moment. The longer it took, though, the more puzzled Serenity grew.

"Rei?" she said. "I'm not feeling anything."

"I'm not either," Rei replied anxiously. "I think our yurei has already left. We need to get back to the palace!"

The five women hurried out to the hover car and jumped in. Jupiter gunned the turbines and headed back to the palace.

"Why the palace?" Serenity asked.

"That's where his targets are," Rei replied. "Jupiter, narrow-cast ahead to the guard. Tell them to look out for Kobayashi-San. He might try to gain access."

"Kobayashi-San?" Mercury questioned.

"The yurei is spiritually bound to the site where the club is," Rei explained. "But it has demonstrated before that it can leave the site for short periods of time by possessing someone. Remember it did that once with Cere and once with Palla-Palla. I'm sure it's figured out the Asteroids aren't going to come near the club, so it's taken the fight to them, probably by possessing Kobayashi-San."

"Oh, Jupiter, hurry!" Serenity cried. Jupiter whipped the hover car along the streets, the car's emergency signals all on.

* * *

The narrow-cast flashed on the screen at the main gate guard's station. However, the guard on duty wasn't there to read it. The only person there was Junichi Kobayashi, sitting in a corner. Though he was currently unconscious, he hadn't truly been conscious since being in his club earlier that morning.

Jun sat in the cafeteria of the palace, nursing a mocha latte from the food replicators. She was the only person in the cafeteria at that time of the morning. A maintenance robot skittered along the floor like a mouse, checking for dropped food or other waste. Overnight maintenance concerns had been automated by Endymion, above the objections of both Serenity and Luna. Except for the night crew that secured the palace, everyone else was asleep. Normally Jun would be asleep, too. A nightmare had awakened her, though, and she found it impossible to get back to sleep. That's why she sat and brooded.

The nightmare had been vivid and startling. Young Ishikawa had ridden up on his Vespa, as alive as the last time she'd seen him. But when he pulled back the visor on his helmet, his face was crushed and torn from impacting with pavement. Only the eyes stared out at her, wide and accusing and unearthly.

She'd tried to apologize, tried to explain that she was different now and she was trying to atone for what she'd done. But with every word out of her mouth, another victim appeared behind him, staring at her with dead, accusing eyes. Jun continued to try to explain that her actions hadn't been intentional, that she just hadn't considered the consequences of her actions. But they kept appearing until she was engulfed in a sea of corpses standing all around her, staring and silently asking why.

Jun exhaled a shuddering breath and took a sip of the latte. It chilled her just to remember the dream, but she couldn't put it out of her head. It was too recent and too vivid. And it seemed to match the waking thoughts she couldn't seem to escape.

"What am I going to do?" Jun mumbled. "I can't keep up like this. I'll go crazy." She sipped the latte again. "Maybe I should just go to the club - - turn myself over to the yurei and pay for what I did."

Sensing another presence in the room, Jun looked up and saw one of the gate guards in the cafeteria, looking at her. It wasn't a new experience. Ever since Cere's rampage in the nightclub, they were all getting suspicious looks and stares from the workers in the palace. Then she noticed the guard was approaching her.

Then she noticed the gleeful hatred plastered across his face.

"You're the one," the guard said as he continued to approach her. "You're the one who drove my son to his death. The one that escaped me before."

Jun sat frozen in the chair, unable to comprehend what he was talking about.

"Don't you remember me?" the guard asked. "Oh, you probably don't recognize me. It's probably the costume I'm wearing."

Jun stood up, the hackles rising on the back of her neck. Then the guard seemed to shimmer slightly. A mist swirled around him. Then the mist began to coalesce into a human shape. When it finished, the ghostly image of Hiboshi Ishikawa was superimposed over the guard's form. Startled, Jun took several steps back.

"Running will do you no good," the yurei that was once Hiboshi Ishikawa told her.

"I-I'm not running," Jun said. Her voice was a swirling blend of guilt and fear. She was suffering and it was pleasant for the yurei to hear.

"Do you think you can fight me? Or did you plan to surrender yourself to my vengeance?"

Jun looked down. "Yes," she whispered. Then she looked up at him. "But I need to say something first. Take your vengeance out on me and just me. Leave the others alone."

"Why?"

"THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!" Jun cried. "I picked your son out! I'm the only one who was involved! You've got no reason to take vengeance on them!"

"Was that all you had to say?" the yurei asked coldly.

"No," Jun said. Then she wavered. "I just wanted to tell you that - - well - - maybe it won't mean much to you - - but I didn't mean for your son to die."

"And yet he died," hissed the yurei.

"I know. I'm not trying to say I'm not to blame. I just - - the only thing we were after were people's dream mirrors. They were a means to an end. That's all we thought about. We didn't think about consequences. I know that doesn't excuse it. I just wanted you to know that I didn't want your son dead. He was kind of a nice guy. If I had been less selfish back then, I would have noticed that. If I could do anything to change what happened, I would."

The yurei only stared at her with open loathing.

"Did you know," the spirit began, pain coloring his ghostly voice, "that my son had to be identified by finger prints. There was nothing left of his face after the impact. His head exploded when it hit the pavement. Dental records were useless. Pictures were useless. The coroner wouldn't show me the body. The coffin was closed at the funeral."

"I can't be any sorrier than I am," Jun told him. "Do whatever you feel you must to me. Kill me if that's what you need to do. Just leave everyone else alone - - and try to accept that I wish things had ended differently."

"No," the yurei said, savoring Jun's anguish, "you don't die - - yet."

"What?"

"People in this era don't know you for what you are," he said contemptuously. "They think you and - - and that pack of animals you run with - - are some sort of heroes. They don't know you for the cruel little monsters you four really are. So I'm going to show them. I'm going to pull back your benevolent mask and show them the vicious attack dog that lives beneath."

"What do you mean?" Jun asked, summoning her henshin stick as she did.

"I intend to possess you, as I did before," the spirit boasted. "And then I will wreck havoc in your name. I'll kill and maim and destroy, just as you four did so long ago. And then when they come to put you down like a rabid dog," and a chilling smile grew on the yurei's face, "I'll let them. Oh, do transform into your other self. It will save me the trouble of doing it for you. That form can bring so much more destruction about than this one can."

Concluded in Chapter 12


	12. Atonement

SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 12: "Atonement"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

In her room, Princess Usagi lay sleeping on her bed. Diana was sleeping on the dresser. She normally slept at the foot of Usa's bed, but tossing and turning by the Princess had already woken her twice this evening, necessitating a move. Something disturbed the sleep of the Princess this night.

Unseen by either of them, a figure entered the room, bi-passing the security lock and the environmental computer controls. The darkened figure entered the bedroom, looked around to gain a mental picture of the room, then headed straight for the sleeping Princess. A hand reached down and grasped her shoulder just below the strap of her baby-doll nightgown.

"Hmm?" Usa murmured as she was jolted to consciousness. It was a moment before she could make sense of the data flooding into her brain. "Who is - - Helios? What are you doing in my room?"

"Forgive me for disturbing you, Maiden," Helios said, sitting on the side of the bed next to her. By now Diana was awake. "I had to see you."

"My Lady, I hardly think this is appropriate," Diana warned.

"It concerns your friend, Jun-Jun," Helios continued. "I sensed the dream she most recently had. It was not a pleasant one. I sense she has not returned to sleep. The dream has undoubtedly disturbed her quite deeply."

"Wow," Usa scowled. "Poor Jun. She feels so guilty over what happened."

"That is not all, Maiden," Helios continued. "I am sensing - - something not of this world - - is near. It is here, in the palace. I am not certain, but I strongly believe that this presence has come for your friend."

"Really?" Usa gasped. She piled out of bed and grabbed her robe. "We've got to find Jun! Computer: location of Jun-Jun!"

"Jun-Jun is currently in the level three cafeteria," the computer responded. Usa and Helios ran out the door, with Diana springing down and out the door on their heels.

When they arrived at the cafeteria, they found Jun face to face with one of the gate guards. He was staring at her with a malicious, pleased glare as Jun shrank back from him.

"I intend to possess you, as I did before," the guard boasted. "And then I will wreck havoc in your name. I'll kill and maim and destroy, just as you four did so long ago. And then when they come to put you down like a rabid dog," and a chilling smile grew on the yurei's face, "I'll let them. Oh, do transform into your other self. It will save me the trouble of doing it for you. That form can bring so much more destruction about than this one can."

"JUNO STAR POWER MAKE UP!" Jun shouted anxiously, knowing the only defense she might hope to have against the yurei was in her senshi form.

Watching from the door, Usa and Helios saw a spirit form rise from the guard as Jun transformed. The spirit lunged at the newly transformed Sailor Juno, entering her body while the guard sank limply to the floor. Juno folded into herself for a few moments, then stood up. The malicious grin had transferred to her.

"STOP!" shrieked Usa as she bolted from the doorway into the cafeteria. "You can't do this! Think of how many other people you'll be hurting!"

"My Lady!" screeched Diana.

"Diana," Helios told her. "Summon the other senshi! I will guard our Princess!" Diana nodded and scurried off.

"What do I care?" Juno said. It was her voice, but not her words. "I'm only interested in dream mirrors, don't you know? I can't be bothered with petty concerns like LIVES!"

"Hurting other people isn't going to bring your son back!" Usa pleaded. Juno's response was a backhand across Usa's face that spun the Princess to the floor.

"Stand down, Spirit!" demanded Helios. "Do not force my hand!"

"Aqua Initiation!" Juno snarled.

Water rose up out of the taps, the food wells and the dish cleaning units. Forming a high pressure gusher, it slammed into Helios with the force of a water cannon. Helios was pushed hard into the wall. He sunk to the floor and lay stunned.

"Stop it!" Usa screamed. She was back on her feet and lunged at Juno, pinning the senshi's arms to her sides. "Let her go! You can't do this!"

"I must have my vengeance!" bellowed Juno. "I must show the world this animal's true colors!"

"What good is it?" argued Usa. "What will vengeance accomplish? It won't bring your son back!"

"It will keep her from killing again!"

"She won't kill again! She's changed!"

"My son cries out! My son demands justice!"

And with a titanic show of strength, Juno wrenched free and shoved Usa away. The Princess stumbled back against a table.

"Vengeance will be mine! I have waited a thousand years for this!" Juno roared.

"Don't you see?" Usa pleaded. "That's what's kept you here! That's what kept you bound to that site for a thousand years! All your hatred has done is bind you to Earth. It's kept you from passing on - - from being reunited with the son you love so much! Let it go! Please! Let your hatred and thirst for vengeance go! Be with your son! Forgive them and go to your rest!"

"Forgive? Them? NEVER!" snarled Juno.

She lunged and caught Usa by the throat with her hands. Hunched shoulders bent the Princess back until she lay across the table behind her. Usa tried to pry the hands off of her, but they were too strong. Air was quickly becoming hard to get. Usa looked up - - and saw the horror on Juno's face. Though the yurei still controlled her hands, Juno was back in control of her face. The yurei was allowing her to experience strangling Princess Usagi to death.

"Not your . . . fault," Usa said to Juno. "Please . . . Ishikawa-San. Let her go."

Juno's hands tightened on Usa's throat. Blackness was inching into her vision.

"I . . . forgive you . . . Ishikawa-San," Usa croaked out. ". . .forgive . . . you. . ."

Just then, Helios desperately slammed into Sailor Juno. The body block broke the grip around Usa's throat. The Princess sank to the floor while Juno and Helios landed in a heap nearby. Helios turned to her.

"Maiden," he gasped desperately. "Your crystal! It has opened to me!"

Usa coughed for air and swallowed, for she could feel a new energy flood through her body. It was vaguely reminiscent of her thought connection with Helios earlier. And with the tide of energy came a phrase that suddenly popped in her head.

"Moon Cosmic Power Make Up!" Usa croaked out.

The transformation took hold instantly. Usa felt a new rush of energy surge through her, a surge that seemed twenty times more powerful than her previous transformations. When the transformation was done, Sailor Moon was standing where Usa had been sitting. Her fuku was different. Her waist belt was yellow rather than white, with a red heart-shaped buckle. Her skirt was white instead of pink and had double trim at the bottom, a pink band at the hem and a yellow band above it. Sheer epaulets appeared at the top of her shoulders, fanning out from the blouse, and winged barrettes decorated her pink hair. The bow in back was larger and more pronounced.

And a pair of white wings was mounted on the back of her fuku. More importantly, she held the Moon Kaleidoscope in her hand. Sailor Moon stared at it in momentary confusion. Then she noticed Sailor Juno pulling herself off the floor.

"You won't keep me from my vengeance!" Juno snarled angrily. "I've waited a thousand years! You won't KEEP ME FROM MY VENGEANCE!"

In confusion, Sailor Moon glanced at Helios. They locked eyes. Helios, who was still on the floor, shimmered for a moment, then coalesced into a burst of energy that leaped to the rod portion of the Moon Kaleidoscope. The Kaleidoscope glowed with energy. Acting on instinct, Sailor Moon pointed the Moon Kaleidoscope at Sailor Juno.

Again acting on instinct, Sailor Moon said, "Moon Gorgeous Meditation!"

Juno was bathed in a swirling rainbow of colored light. Initially she tried to resist, but soon her body was twirling limply in the grasp of the swirling light. Her head lolled back helplessly and looked up to the heavens. Juno's eyes closed and her lips parted.

"Beautiful," she sighed.

And swirling above her was the spirit of Junichi Ishikawa. It rose up out of Juno's form and was held aloft above her by the rainbow energy. The yurei's expression was one of bliss tinged with just a hint of remorse.

"Forgive me, my son," the yurei murmured. "Forgive me for waiting so long to join you. I was a fool. I forgive them now. Forgive me . . ."

And with that, the spirit dissipated forever from this Earth.

Moments later, Diana came running into the cafeteria, followed closely by Sailor Saturn, Sailor Vesta, Sailor Ceres and Sailor Pallas. Not far behind was King Endymion. They found Sailor Juno laying on the floor, unconscious. They found Sailor Moon sitting nearby, in a different fuku. Her arms were folded over her knees and her forehead rested on her arms. In one hand was the Moon Kaleidoscope.

The Kaleidoscope began to shimmer, then disappeared into a cloud of energy. It lingered for a moment near Sailor Moon, then coalesced into Helios. Endymion quickly went to Sailor Moon, while Saturn checked on Helios and the Asteroids knelt by Juno.

"Usa honey," Endymion said, cradling his daughter against him. Sailor Moon's head lolled back. She was barely conscious. Then a huge smile grew on her face.

"That," she said breathlessly, "was a rush!" She took a few moments to bask in the glow, then her eyes snapped opened. "Helios!" Sailor Moon looked over to the Prince of Dreams. She saw Saturn supporting him. "Helios, are you all right?" Reaching over, she touched his hand.

Helios looked over to her and smiled. "Well done, Maiden," he said and clasped her hand with his. No one was sure if they'd ever seen Sailor Moon look happier.

* * *

"You are making a huge mistake," Rei replied. Her glare was one of frustration and cynicism. It was a familiar look.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Makoto only smiled. She leaned against the wall outside of the palace shrine. A small bag dangled from one hand. "Rei, you've tried your way, with both Jun and Ves, and it hasn't worked, has it?"

"Look, I admit Jun is too consumed with guilt to listen to me," Rei fired back. "Maybe she will listen to you. But Ves is a lost cause. The sooner she's stripped of her powers and out of here, the better everyone will be."

"I disagree," Makoto replied with maddening calm.

Rei paused for a second, reading her friend. "She is not - - like - - you."

"You haven't known me all my life," Makoto told her. "Just nine-tenths of it. Give me a shot at her. We've got nothing to lose."

"Famous last words," Rei muttered. "Well, if we go to Serenity, I already know what she'll say, so go ahead and try. I'll back off." Rei turned to go into the shrine, but stopped and looked back. "But remember that I told you so."

"Makoto Kino desires entry," the environmental computer announced. Dutifully Palla-Palla got up and waved her hand across the sensor. It didn't occur to her that she could just tell the computer to open the door.

"Hi, Sweetie," Makoto grinned. "Is it OK to come in? I just wanted to talk to Ves and Jun."

"Yes, Miss Makoto-Ma'am, please come in," Palla-Palla replied with memorized politeness. Then her attention wavered. "Are those cookies?"

"Um hmm," smirked Makoto. "I brought them for Jun, but I think I can spare one for you."

"Yes, please!" Palla-Palla's face lit up. Makoto handed her the cookie as Ves wandered in.

"Hey, Kino-Sensei," Ves nodded. "You here to talk to Jun? She's still pretty messed up. Think you can help her?"

"I can sure try," Makoto offered. "But I'd like to talk to you, too."

"Better make it quick," Ves darkened. "Hino-Sensei will probably be here any minute to boot me out of here."

"I got her to back off," Makoto assured her. Ves seemed visibly relieved. "But now you have to do me a favor."

"Control myself, I know," Ves scowled. "Kino-Sensei, I try! I do! It's just - - I'm not someone who can sit around and just let bad things happen to people close to me! I'm not a thinker. I'm a doer."

Makoto put her arm around Ves and led the girl into her room. "I know the feeling, Ves. I've been to the place you're headed for. You think you can fight the world if you just strike quick enough and hit hard enough. But you can't."

She sat Ves down on her bed and sat next to her.

"Ves, not everyone is out to get you. But you can't see that if you just think with your fists and your feet all the time. All you end up doing is driving off the people who want to help you and you don't do anything to the people who really are out to get you. I had to learn that the hard way. And I almost screwed up my whole life in the process. If it hadn't been for two people who just wouldn't give up on me, I probably would have."

"Who were they?" Ves asked.

"Well, the Queen was one," Makoto reminisced. "And Shinozaki was the other. He just wouldn't let me destroy myself."

"Were you and him," Ves prodded, "a thing?"

"A thing?" Makoto asked, perplexed. Ves conveyed her meaning silently. "Oh! Shinozaki? No!" Makoto chuckled. "Me and Shinozaki were friends. We were buds. We were running mates, you know?"

"Yeah, I think I do," Ves nodded sentimentally.

"He grabbed me by the hand and he refused to let me fall into the abyss," Makoto continued. "An abyss, I might add, of my own making. Life may have led me to the edge, but I was the one pushing myself off. And he wouldn't let me fall."

She turned to Ves and looked her straight in the eye.

"And I'm not going to let you fall, either," Makoto told her. "I'm going to make you succeed. You're not going to like everything I tell you. You may curse me and you may take a poke at me. But the only way you're going to escape me is if you quit and leave - - and then we both lose. Just always keep in mind that everything I'm doing is designed to help you." Then she smirked playfully. "And keep in mind that I'm bigger than you are."

A small smile crept across Ves's face. "You know, if anybody else said that to me, I'd clock them." Her demeanor sobered. "Kino-Sensei - - sometimes I see that abyss you're talking about. And I can feel the ground crumbling under my feet." She sighed with frustration. "If you can help me, I will kiss the ground you walk on. But I can't help wondering if you're already too late."

Makoto draped her arm around Ves. "Won't know until we try."

Getting up, Makoto headed out of the room. Crossing over to Jun's room, she peered in and found nothing.

"Palla-Palla?" Makoto asked. "Jun's gone."

"Yes, Miss Makoto-Ma'am," Palla-Palla nodded. "Palla-Palla saw her leave while you were talking to Ves-Ves."

"Do you know where she went?" Makoto asked anxiously.

* * *

"And then I felt him connect with me," Usa explained to her parents, babbling excitedly, "just like before! And suddenly I knew I could transform! And I summoned the Moon Kaleidoscope and Helios powered it!"

"See, Honey, I knew it would come to you," Serenity beamed. "You just had to prove to your crystal that you were worthy of it. And when you forgave that poor man in spite of everything he did, that was all the proof the crystal needed." Helios nodded proudly in the background. "Although I wish there could have been a less dangerous way. Does your throat still hurt?"

"A little," Usa shrugged. "I'll be OK."

"A spoonful of honey might help your throat," Endymion suggested.

"And even if it doesn't, who cares," Serenity grinned.

"You're such a bad influence on her, Your Majesty," Luna clucked.

"Helios," Endymion said, rising and grasping the Dream Guardian's hand firmly, "once again we are indebted to you for helping us and guarding the Princess. Our gratitude to you will be undying."

"I was happy to be of assistance, Your Majesty," Helios smiled demurely. "There is little else as important to me as the safety of the Princess." Usa grew a smile a mile wide and her red eyes twinkled.

"Endymion," Serenity began, "now that Usa and Helios are linked by the Sailor Moon transformation, wouldn't it be better to invite Helios to live in the palace?" Luna noticed the deviousness of Serenity's words and her eyes narrowed.

Usa nearly jumped with glee at the mention of the idea. Endymion was less than thrilled and Helios immediately picked up on the awkwardness of the situation.

"I mean, if Usa needs Helios to transform into Sailor Moon, and she needs him to charge the Moon Kaleidoscope like I used to, wouldn't it make sense to have him close by?" Serenity persisted. She tried to affect an innocent look and failed miserably.

"Yeah, Pop, it makes perfect sense!" Usa chimed in.

"For how long?" Endymion inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, as long as she's at this level, I guess," Serenity shrugged. "Until she evolves into Eternal Sailor Moon, wouldn't you think? It shouldn't be TOO long," Serenity added with the deviousness of a five year old. "After all, she's already skipped one level."

"And what about Elysian?" Endymion asked. "Are they going to be able to manage without him?"

"Actually, Ravonna and my mother can substitute for me if it becomes necessary," Helios interjected. He received an unexpected wink from Usa for merely being honest.

"There, it's settled," Serenity nodded.

"No, it is NOT settled," Endymion argued.

"BUT POP . . .!" Usa gasped dramatically.

"Now, now, Usa," Serenity intervened. "I've learned to trust your father's judgment, and if he doesn't think it's a workable plan, we'll have to find another way."

Usa glared impatiently at her mother.

"I suppose," Serenity began sweetly, "we'll just have to travel to the fortieth century and bring back your daughter so she can summon Helios. You do still have the Twinkle Bell, don't you Helios?"

"I . . ." Helios began, then stopped, unsure how to proceed.

"Hold it," Endymion scowled. "We're not - - disrupting - - the time stream."

"Then," Serenity stared at him, stricken and horrified, "you don't want Usa to be Sailor Moon anymore?"

"I never said that!" gasped Endymion.

"Then it's settled. Helios will stay," Serenity proclaimed.

"But . . .!"

"OH THANK YOU, POP!" Usa squealed, bounding up and hugging him while she looked up at him with wide, energetic eyes.

"Thank you, Endymion. You've made a wise choice," Serenity smiled and hugged him as well, looking up at him with loving blue eyes.

"I . . ." Endymion began. Then he grimaced. "I REALLY hate it when you two double-team me like this. Helios," he said, turning to the slightly bemused Dream Guardian, "welcome to our home. I hope you won't come to regret staying here."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Helios said, bowing to him. "I pledge to you that I will be on my best behavior here."

"It not you I'm worried about," Endymion replied, glancing down at Usa and Serenity.

* * *

Jun sat outside of Dr. Mizuno's office, waiting patiently and hoping that no one was staring at her or whispering about her. In fact, the urge to disappear completely was strong within her.

The memory of what she had done to the younger Ishikawa ten centuries prior was there. That bothered her. But it wasn't a strong memory. She could place his face and the events in her mind, but he tended to blend in with all the other people she'd brought terror and pain to during her career. That bothered her even more.

The guilt over that phase of her life always had lingered just below the surface, to be dwelled upon only when forced - - or alone. The others coped in their own way. Cere had talked herself into believing that Queen Neherenia and Zirconia had cast a spell over them and they weren't really responsible. Ves, as was her way, refused to take any responsibility for her past and lived only in the present. And Palla-Palla often barely seemed to remember those times. She, on the other hand, buried herself in being responsible and trying to make something of herself. If only it were that easy. Maybe Neherenia and her cursed circus and her black magic balls had held some sort of corrupting sway over them. But they'd joined her in the beginning of their own free will, because it was a way to get what they all wanted.

And it was somewhere they could belong. But was it worth a human life? And was young Ishikawa the only one? Were there other victims that Sailor Moon and the senshi hadn't rescued from their voracious Lemures? Would another ghost from her past rise up when she least expected it, determined to get revenge upon her - - or worse, her sisters or her friends?

The door to Ami's office hissed open and Jun quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked up and found Hotaru in the doorway. The two teens met eyes for a moment. Jun broke the contact and looked down in shame.

"I'll set up another session for next week at this time, Hotaru," Ami was heard saying as she approached the door. "And don't forget that you're scheduled tomorrow night for your regular work-study shift in the infirmary. So tell your young man that you won't be available."

"Yes, Mizuno-Sensei," Hotaru replied, flushing slightly. Ami popped out of the door just in time to see Hotaru bend down and touch Jun's hand. When Jun looked up, Hotaru smiled and said, "Please call me if you need to talk to someone about things." And Hotaru headed out.

"Jun?" Ami inquired. "Can I be of assistance?"

"Um, I'm sorry for taking up your time, Mizuno-Sensei," Jun began. "I just needed to ask you something . . ."

"Certainly. Come right in, please," Ami said, even though it was assumed on her part that Makoto was probably waiting with dinner. "Is this concerning what happened recently?"

"Yes," Jun choked out, looking down. "I'm beginning to wonder if, well, maybe I should," and she took a steadying breath, "well, quit the team."

"Why?" Ami asked.

"You know what I did," Jun grimaced. "I don't deserved this: this power, this uniform, this whole life! How can I stand for love and justice knowing what I did?"

"Jun," Ami began with measured tones, "I understand the guilt you feel and I understand the compulsion you feel to do penance. It's very noble of you and it's a barometer of your current moral compass. However, even the desire to atone can become a detrimental attitude if used incorrectly." Ami walked over to her desk and brought up the virtual computer screen showing her calendar. "If you'd like, I can set up some time so we can discuss your feelings of guilt and remorse. Perhaps, together, we can find a way of allowing you to accept your past actions and focus your desire to atone in more constructive ways."

Jun stared silently at the floor.

"Or, if you don't feel comfortable talking about it with me, I'm certain that Rei or Makoto, Minako or even the King and Queen would be willing to listen and work with you. Or I can refer you to any of two dozen highly qualified professional counselors. But frankly, I think the last thing you should do is quit the senshi and leave the palace."

Jun continued to stare at the floor. "Why?" she said finally. "Why would all of you do that? Why would you do that for me?"

Ami walked over and put her hand on the teen's shoulder. "Because you've more than earned it," she smiled. "You may not agree at this moment, but you've more than earned another chance."

Jun considered this. The silence dragged on. Finally she nodded.

"OK, Mizuno-Sensei," she whispered. "I'll do whatever you suggest. I only hope I don't end up letting you down."

THE END


End file.
